


Colors in Autumn

by NoctIsFishing



Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Adults, Alternate Universe, Breaking Up & Making Up, Complicated Relationships, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Heartbreak, Mild Smut, Minor Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slice of Life, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Wedding Planning, in the longest drawn out sense possible
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-19
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2019-08-25 20:12:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 152,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16667539
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoctIsFishing/pseuds/NoctIsFishing
Summary: The weather chills, the leaves brighten and decay, and Sora knows how to brace herself for her least favorite time of the year. But what she doesn't prepare for is the return of her old flame, a flame that doesn't want to burn out.





	1. [to old times]

**Author's Note:**

> Pairings:  
> Tai x Sora  
> Izzy x Mimi (background)  
> Davis x Kari
> 
> 7/27/2019: Cover art courtesy of **skymont**

 

Sora couldn't stand autumn. The sun brightened the days less, and the luscious green from the trees changed into a murky brown, littering the walkways and roads she never liked to walk over. She avoided whatever seasonal flavors that every shop attempted to throw at her, and she never liked the taste of maple or pumpkin.

What she disliked most was how the evenings grew colder. In the chill of the night, she couldn't dress as lightly as she enjoyed doing in the summer. The coolness forced her to cover herself all over, and it forced her to layer the blankets she had to bury herself under so she could fall asleep. No matter how many of those covered her, or how many pillows encased her, Sora couldn't find the solace she craved, not even in her own bed.

Sora, however, found this one, chilly evening to be an exception, as she rested in a bed other than her own, unclothed at that. Only one pillow placed underneath her head, though she curled up beside the warm body of whom she laid next to, the arms of another encasing her. The fireplace softly crackled a few feet from the end of the bed, and a duvet covered the two of them, but Sora felt her need fulfilled as she revelled in the heat from his tanned skin against hers.

"You haven't changed at all, Sora," came his voice slightly above her head, soft and sweet on her ears.

Sora remained quiet as she moved her palm along the toned muscles on his chest. Tilting her head back, her eyes rose to meet his, two pools of chocolate brown boring into hers, and his lips curled on one side in a smirk.

"Neither have you, Tai," she replied with a smile slowly forming on her own lips.

Tai looked on. "You always make it so hard not to kiss you."

"I don't mean to make it easy."

He craned his neck to meet her face with a kiss. Sora drew an inhale, slowly taking him in. His eyes closed, though she kept hers open as she watched him thoughtfully with her lips connecting with his, reminiscing its taste. She knew where his hands would trail off to next, and she felt tingles behind her neck when his fingers massaged the back of her scalp. His other arm laced around her waist to her bottom, where he gave her a gentle squeeze. She exhaled between a kiss, and she knew, as he rolled her back against the bed, his soft whispers into her ears and his hand running along her chest, that he had a mind more than just to keep her warm.

Sora wondered if she had such a mind for him when she ran into him earlier that day. She hadn't seen him in almost a year before that, and it surprised her to run in to him in the middle of the busy streets of Tokyo, walking her usual path to work.

"Well, look who's back," she said, surveying the briefcase he held on one side and his businessman attire, a dark blue suit and black shoes, topped off with his wild, brown hair. "I didn't think you'd be back here so soon."

Tai chuckled. "It just happened to work out this way," he said. "I see you're keeping warm already, Sora?"

Sora took a pause to look down at her outfit-a nice top to go with her denim skirt over the leggings that covered her legs. She noticed Tai watching her with amusement as she tugged at her jacket draped over her shoulders, and adjusted the scarf around her neck.

"It  _is_  that time of the year, Tai," she replied coolly. "You know how I can get."

"Do I ever?" he said, leaning back in laughter, a laughter she found realized she missed hearing.

A beep sounded out, and Tai pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket and eyed it for a few moments.

"Gah, I should get going," he told her. "Are you doing anything tonight? We should grab a bite to eat and catch up."

"Let's do that," was her reactive response.

Tai looked at her, as though making sure that was her answer, but when she formed a smile on her lips, he smiled back with acceptance.

"Awesome! I'll call you before I head out."

He turned to walk away, but stopped himself to add, "You look great, Sora."

And so did he, Sora thought to herself as she watched him move down the street. His figure shrunk in the distance, though she could still point out his big mess of hair no matter how far he got. A mess… just like where they left each other over a year ago.

They had broken up in the middle of spring last year. Their relationship ran through the course of university, in which they attended the same one. He studied financial management, and she took the first two years switching majors, eventually settling on fashion design. University was hard, but Sora found it easy to be with him as they supported each other through all their intense projects and novel-sized essays, all while finding time to hang out at the bar with their circle of friends, playing soccer at the gym, or just cozying up to one another at home, which, of course, Sora loved, especially in the colder months.

It was harder for them the year after they both graduated. He easily snagged a job with a company downtown, while she tried to stick it out at a clothing store at the mall. But when she finally secured an assistant position for an up-and-coming fashion brand, they started seeing each other less. Their schedules never synced, and the arguments between them somehow grew more than Sora could take.

They broke it off during the spring, but decided to stay friends, and in the summer, Tai got a job offer in China that he couldn't refuse. He turned to Sora for advice, and, even as she bit back the urge to make him stay, she encouraged him to go. Jumping on her words, Tai left for China at the change of the season.

The fall was colder that year.

But just like that, fall was happening once again, and Tai's unexpected return brought Sora at a loss. She shook her head, realizing she had been staring in his direction for too long. A whole year and some change-that was enough to get over someone, right?

That was what her heart asked as she adjusted the purse strap on her shoulder and turned her heel toward the steps toward her work building. Walking upwards, the echoes from her mind gave her a nagging feeling that she should have known better than to accept his invitation.

* * *

When Tai called her, they agreed to meet at the bar a few blocks from the downtown business sector. Tai ordered a pint of beer on tap, while Sora settled on a bottle of hard cider. Tai eyed it curiously.

"Since when did you start drinking cider?" he asked.

"A few months ago, I think," she replied, pouring the bottle into a glass. He couldn't look away from it. "What?"

"I just never thought I'd see the day. You've always hated apples."

"Consider me a changed woman." Sora picks up the glass of cider and takes a swig, then sets it back down, her eyes never leaving Tai's skeptical gaze. "Let's just say that I've grown accustomed to the flavor."

"Uh-huh."

She knew he waited for her to confess the true reason, and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Fine… Mimi's apple pie is  _amazing_."

"Now,  _that_ sounds more convincing."

Sora laughed along with him as he shook his head. It amazed her how comfortable she still was with him, even after being away from him for so long.

"She made a few the other day, and I was over at her place in a heartbeat."

"Can't say that I blame you. But, knowing her, if she made a lot, then something must be up."

Sora nodded. "You're right about that. She's been under so much stress, what with her and Izzy's wedding being just around the corner. It's been pretty crazy, to say the least."

"Oh, right. The wedding."

Sora noticed his eyes wander elsewhere as he took a sip of his beer, and she had a feeling she knew why. She and went to their friends' weddings as each others' dates as a couple, the last one being Joe's. Now that Mimi and Izzy were to wed, it was a given that Sora was going to be her Maid of Honor, but when it came to topic of her 'plus one' now...

"It's not too late to be my 'plus one,' Tai," she blurted out. His eyes fell on her again, and suddenly she was at a loss of what to say next. Holding her glass to her lips, she silently cursed at herself for saying things she shouldn't be. Perhaps she should have slowed down on the cider. When she and Tai ended things, to her, that meant no more doing things as a couple.

"Maybe, for old times' sake." His lips formed a smile, but it told her that he might have dwelled on something else. Before she started to dwell along with him, he lifted his glass of beer to her.

"Cheers," he said.

"To what?" she asked.

"...To old times."

"Alright…" As she lifted her glass, she noticed him staring at her again, and she knew he waited for her say a toast. "To Mimi's amazing pie!"

"Yes! Cheers to that!" he agreed, and they clinked their together before taking their gulps.

"I still hate the fall, though." Sora set her glass down, hearing Tai let out another laugh.

"That's one thing that I know you'll never grow accustomed to, Sora."

He smiled at her warmly, and she smiled back, hoping the redness on her cheeks was from the effects of the cider.

* * *

They left the bar after dinner and a few more drinks, and Tai insisted on getting Sora a cab ride home. She argued that the train was much faster and cheaper, and that he shouldn't be spending his money on her.

"At least me walk you to the station," he said. "My hotel room is only ten minutes drive from there, so it won't be too bad of a cab ride over."

His stubborn attitude drove her up the wall at times, mostly because she could be just as much, if not worse.

"Fine," she sighed, seeing her exhaling breath wisp into a small icy fog in front of her. She felt the chill of the night air creeping on her cheeks and hands. But even as she took a step forward, she felt something heavy being set over her shoulders, cloaking her upper body.

"Shall we?" Tai said, his face appearing just above her shoulder, his hands placed on either of her side atop the jacket he put around her.

_I should have turned him down earlier,_ she thought as they started towards the station. As much as she was glad to see him again, the more she let him on, the more he might think...

"So, are you seeing anyone?" she asked in attempt to detract her thoughts about them together.

She wished she didn't ask. It was the cider again, wasn't it…?

The silence was more deafening than before she asked.

"There was someone," he said.

"Was?" she asked further, wishing her hopes went away.

"Yeah…'Was'. Nice girl. Worked at a law firm. She was stunning."

"Geez, Tai." Sora shifted uncomfortably as they strolled, battling the envy that teased her.

"It didn't work out." Tai scratched the back of his head, looking uncomfortable himself. "And you, Sora?"

"No. No, not since…"

It was her turn to fall silent, and when they stopped at the red light, she wished that time sped up for the light to turn green.

Luckily, the bright green began to flash, and for the remainder of the walk, neither of them said a word.

Sora turned to face Tai when they finally reached the front of the train station, and it was time for them to say goodbye. Just like that summer when he left.

"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Tai asked.

"It was great to see you, Tai," she said, going in for a hug. His arms held her tightly, and even with his jacket over her, she almost didn't want to let his warmth escape from her.

The same scene played between them from when he headed to his flight to China. They pulled apart, and his hand brushed her cheek as he swept a strand of her strawberry brown hair to the side. He didn't kiss her cheek then, but her breath caught in her throat when she felt his lips now, warm against her cold cheek.

"I've missed you, Sora," were his next words with his eyes staring into hers.

She wished he didn't kiss her. She wished he didn't say those words. She wished he didn't stare at her that way.

She wished she didn't kiss him back, this time, on his lips.

Sora missed her train. The cab ride back to Tai's hotel was silent, though their hands joined between them, their feet playful from where they sat. She wanted to be over him. She thought the last year and a half was enough time for her feelings to die down, like a flame on a candle that couldn't compete with the dropping temperatures brought by the calm ire of autumn.

When they entered his darkened hotel room, lit only by a fireplace, they stood at the foot of his bed. Her lips collided into his, and the jacket she meant to return to him fell onto the floor, followed by her scarf, his tie, their shirts… one after another, until they fell into bed together with nothing but his fiery kisses, and the heat between them as she rocked with him filled her with enough ecstasy to care less about the seasons changing.

Maybe her feelings for Tai was its own dying flame that just needed to be ignited once more, for the candle to fulfill itself down to its last spark.

For old times' sake.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Taiora.  
> Hoo boy.  
> Inspired by "Sweater Weather" by The Neighborhood.  
> Thanks for checking this out. We'll, uh, see how this one goes. :)


	2. [all over again]

When her phone alarm sounded off the next morning, Sora stirred into consciousness. Without opening her eyes, she reminded herself that she wasn't in her apartment, where her bed wasn't as soft as the one she currently laid in. She turned her body to make sure her own pillows weren't next to her, only to feel the weight of Tai's arm on her stomach.

She opened her eyes, her mind racing through the events of the night before. She had one more bottle of cider than she normally had on a weeknight, but her conscious remained clear-she fought that urge to kiss Tai until she let that urge take over at the train station. When they made it to the hotel bed, her desire for him only burst as she savored his lips hungrily tasting hers, sneaking gentle bites on her lower lip. She ran her hands all over his muscled skin which she had been longing to feel again, and she had no doubt his craving was just as dangerous, with his mouth on her chest and his fingers inside of her. Her desire only fueled her when she rode him over and over as she pleased, and then let him take over, feeling his slow thrusting quicken its pace until they were both satisfied. This other fight within her- to resist herself from sounding out her pleasure, calling his name-was one she couldn't even try to win.

They went at it a few more times, not unlike how they used to. Tai had enough stamina to match hers. When they both fell into each others' arms, finally exhausted, she watched him drift to sleep with a smile across his face, and she succumbed to euphoria as she fell asleep.

The morning after their rendezvous, she peered over to look at him, though her face met the tips of his hair as it tickled against her nose and cheeks. His face hid behind her shoulder from the light peeking through the window.

"Mm," he went as he inched closer to nuzzle against her.

Sora knew that Tai wasn't a morning person. She kept her gaze on him, remembering the struggle they both had at university when waking up for their classes. She herself had no problem waking up early, even if the rush of cool air met her skin the moment she removed the covers off her. The struggle for her was prying Tai off of her so she could actually leave the bed.

"Tai, I need to go," she began in a hush, so as not to sound harsh for either of them. "You should get up, too."

"Mm," he repeated, not moving a muscle.

"I need to head home to change for work. It  _is_ still a weekday, you know."

"No.." he whined. "It's too early to move…"

Sora sighed.

"Taichi-kun…" she said, her voice shifting into a soothing, motherly tone that she found he responded to best. "Can you wake up for Sora? Her life depends on this job, and if she's late, you'll never hear the end of it…"

"Fine… fine…" he grunted, finally lifting his arm from her. Sora sat up, pulling the duvet over her bare chest. She watched him sit up next to her, his eyelids still heavy as he held himself up leaning on his arms. He stared blankly toward the bed, his hair all askew, his mouth slightly downturn. As irritating as Tai tended to be in the morning, Sora couldn't deny how adorable she found him.

"What is it, Sora?" he asked when he registered her gaze on him. She continued to stare back, unsure of how to respond. She missed waking up with him like this, bantering with him about all the little things as they got dressed for the day.

She blinked and shook her head a little, forcing herself to stop the memories from replaying. She turned away from him, to prevent herself from changing her mind about him.

"I'm heading out," she said, standing up with the duvet over her. She walked to and fro to dress into the clothes they carelessly scattered onto the floor the night before, and she tossed Tai's clothes over to him as she came across them. "I need to get home, shower, make sure I catch the train to be on time…"

"Sora.." he called from the bed, sounding less groggy.

"I have so much to do. I need to make sure I get some designs done by the end of the week. My portfolio is due by the end of the month and I've been pacing myself but I feel incredibly behind…"

She sounded out the words that ran in her head-the ones she preferred hearing over the nagging, whispering words that entertained the idea of involving herself with the ex-boyfriend in front of her. Sora threw the duvet back onto the bed and buttoned up her blouse, hoping that he wouldn't realize her habit of avoiding subjects, but she also knew it was foolish to hope that every time.

Even as she felt him stare at her then.

"Sora," he said again, now out of bed in his boxer shorts. "What about us?"

Sora turned to him, straightening her skirt.

"You know how we ended things, Tai," she said. "We weren't there for each other we needed to be. Don't you remember how hard it was after we graduated? We barely had time for each other. We fought so much that I started wondering if I hated you."

Tai continued to stare at her curiously, as though he tried to read her.

"You don't have an ounce of hate in your body, Sora."

She waved her hand feistily through the cool air to give a case in point.

"You don't hate  _me_ , though," he went on, approaching her. "You've never hated me, even if you've gotten angry with me enough to wonder."

Sora watched him silently, his eyes still on hers. His words exuded such confidence for her to lose track of her own will to argue against him.

"Can't we make time for each other?" he asked, their faces close now, his voice soft. "I'm here now. I can make time for you."

But Sora's eyes flashed. "For how long, Tai?" she asked. "You said this trip was temporary. You'll be here a few weeks, and then what?" She walked to the bathroom, leaving the door open as she finger combed her hair to straighten its kinks. She knew he would follow her in to argue back.

"So what was last night then?" he retorted back, raising his voice. "A fling? Is that what we've been downgraded to?"

"No." she said, calmly, making sure her face was free of makeup smudges.

"Did it mean nothing to you? If it didn't mean anything, then what else could it have been?"

"It  _wasn't_ a fling." She eyed Tai from the mirror's reflection and noticed him sigh as he ran his hand through his hair and lean against the door frame. If there was one thing she hated at that moment, it was seeing him look so dejected. Sora sighed again.

"Taichi-kun…" she walked over to him, gently massaging his shoulders and down his arms. She couldn't help but frown, her heart feeling slightly heavier. "You're right. I can't hate you. You mean a lot to me, but… You remember how ugly it was between us after university. How many times did we slam doors on each other? All that fighting… It hurt me, and I know it hurt you, too. That's why we agreed to break up, right?"

"It feels like that, all over again…"

Sora didn't want to admit it, but seeing him moping made her heart break. She needed to remind him about the good things about their breakup.

"Tai, look at where you are now. If we were still together, you would have missed out on the job you've always dreamed of having. And, I mean, look at me-I'm still trying to get to my dream job."

"Being a Chief Financial Officer of a world-renowned Chinese company isn't the only dream for me, Sora," he said. "You can't tell me the only thing you dream about is becoming a fashion designer."

Sora furrowed her brow, feeling confused. "What else is there, Tai? I thrive in designing things. I'd love to become a designer and make clothes that people would love to wear."

"There really is nothing else?"

Sora shook her head.

"So, you become one." Tai had a tinge of annoyance in his voice. "Everyone's going to  _love_ you. Then what? Is that all what 'living the dream' is for you?"

Lifting her hands away from him, Sora stepped back, feeling extremely offended. "What do you mean,  _'is that all'_ , Tai? Is my dream not good enough for your standards?"

"...That's not what I meant, Sora. At all."

Sora fumed.

"I really should get going. Like I said, I need to go to work. You should probably get ready, too, I don't want to get in your way. Don't get in mine. It'll be best for the both of us."

"Sora-"

Sora stomped away, hastily putting her scarf around her neck. She felt a different kind of heat, one of anger boiling in her chest and up to her head. It was arguments like this with him that steered her away from him, where they couldn't see eye-to-eye, and desperately tried and failed to meet each other halfway.

She grabbed her coat laying on the bed, and Tai put his hand on hers to stop her.

"Sora, wait. Don't do this. I don't want you leaving angry."

"Well, I'm going to," was her bitter response. "It'll give me a good reminder as to why I shouldn't be with you."

She tried to force past him, but he stood firm with her.

" _Please,_ Sora, hear me out."

Observing his guilty expression, Sora could tell he wanted to reason with her. Although she felt her eyes flashing with anger, she waited for him to talk.

"You know that I can say things one way meaning one thing, but you end up taking it the wrong way."

She stared at him, reluctantly letting him take her coat from her hands for him to straighten out for her.

"I've always supported everything you want to do, just like you've always done for me. I think you're amazing at  _anything_ you do, and I think you'd make a kickass fashion designer."

"Sure, you do," she said, nonchalantly. There he was, saying something completely opposite to what he implied just moments ago. But she let him continue.

"Trust me, Sora, I know your talent. When you put your mind to something, you're always going to end up with something really incredible. I would put a good word in for you if you were even interested in handling money and crunching numbers-and not just because you're banging in bed."

Sora let out an involuntary laugh. When he looked at her, she put her hand up to her mouth, feeling her cheeks redden with embarrassment.

"But, really, anyone can see it," he continued, "not just me. I mean, you'd stay up late and I'd watch you sketch sometimes until I fell asleep. I might not know too much about fashion, but, your drawings were pretty cool..."

Tai shifted uncomfortably, looking away as he scratched his head. Helpless as he was, her level of anger had been deflating slowly, until she was reduced to a fit of giggles.

"Don't worry about your fashion sense, Tai," she responded amused, at his confused stare. "You do know how to look good in a suit."

Realizing the change in her mood, he gave her a smirk, and as her laughter died down, they stood in silence as she trapped herself in his gaze yet again.

She had to end it now before they got too deep.

"I'll be off, then..." she said, and Tai whirled around to put help her put on her coat.

"Let me pay for a cab," he said. "It's the least I could do for luring you here."

Sora laughed. "At least let me take some of the blame. I'll take a cab, but don't worry about paying for it."

"Always thinking of others before yourself."

Tai handed her purse over, and they stood facing each other on either side of the front door frame.

"Are you sure you don't want an extra jacket?" he asked, putting his hands on either side of her shoulders.

"I might dread the weather, Tai, but I can get through it." Sora made sure her scarf was adjusted properly.

"Well," Tai said through a sigh. "I'll be here if you need anything. Even when I'm overseas."

Surveying his eyes, Sora knew he accepted the state of things between them-that she didn't want to rekindle between the two of them, and that she was set on letting their relationship wither in the cold.

Hopefully it would encourage her to keep convincing herself, too.

"I'll see you at Mimi and Izzy's wedding, Tai," she said. "I can still be your 'plus one,' if you want."

"I'll let you know," he said with a sad smile.

She smiled back, but as he closed the door and she walked down the hallway of the hotel, she realized her lower lids forming a warm sting. It really did feel like breaking up all over again.

The heater was on as she passed through the lobby, but the cold never left her.

Sora hailed a cab when she reached the curb. She was amazed that she still had enough time by the end of the ride to shower, have breakfast, and catch her regular train to make it to work. The day would continue as normal, whether or not Tai stayed imprinted in her mind.

As she opened her wallet to pay for her fare, she felt something drop to the floor. Picking it up, she recognized a credit card that didn't belong to her, but had the name "Yagami Taichi" etched along the plastic.

Sora held the card up at eye-level, dumbfounded.

"Takenouchi-san?" the driver asked, and she blinked at him.

"Sorry," she said, and then added, "Goddammit, Tai" as she fished out her own credit card to hand to the driver.

She'd have to return the card back to Tai, but she knew for a fact that she was going to find a way to give it back without seeing him again.

She was going to avoid running into him again with whatever it took, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm feeling generous for ya. This meant to be half of a chapter worth, but, well.
> 
> I promise some of the other s1 kids next chapter. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading, and thanks for loving Taiora as much as I do.
> 
> Stay warm. <3


	3. [dinner is cancelled]

"Hands off, Sora."

Sora held her hands back after Mimi's command. She had been standing in the kitchen of Mimi and Izzy's house, and Mimi had taken four freshly baked pies out of the oven and placed them on the countertop by the stove. When Mimi turned around to throw vegetables into the pot for the stew she was making for dinner, Sora thought she'd have her chance to steal a bite of one of the warm, delicious, fruity pies that she had turned her back to.

"You're going to burn your tongue," Mimi said sharply to a frowning Sora. "Besides, you'll have to wait until after dinner."

It was Friday evening, which happened to be the evening Mimi hosted her monthly dinner for her and Sora's circle of friends. Sora was grateful that Mimi held things like this to keep everyone in touch, as hard as it was during university and afterward.

"You amaze me, Mimi," Sora said, as she found her seat at the bar counter that divided the kitchen and the living room. "You have so much going on, yet here you are, still making dinner for all of us."

"You're lucky I like you guys enough," Mimi replied, putting the cover over the pot. Then she sighed, turning around and stopping at the bar counter opposite to where Sora now sat. "One and a half months until I tie the knot, Sora, and I feel like there's still too much to do!"

"Tell me everything."

Sora rested her chin on her palm, elbow against the counter as Mimi launched into her list of errands.

"I'm still waiting for the bridesmaids' dresses and my dress to go through their alterations," Mimi began. "I'm meeting a girl this weekend to go over hair and makeup, but I also haven't heard back from any of the photographers I contacted."

"That's not much left, though, is it?" Sora replied to Mimi's sulking expression. In moments like this, Sora knew Mimi needed one of her pep talks.

"Mimi, you already have the reception and the music planned out. You've got the best venue anyone could ever wed in. You hired a critically-acclaimed chef to make the wedding cake with your own recipe! The invitations turned out beautiful-"

"That's because you designed them," added Mimi.

"Not without your input. By the way, Mom's still working on the flower arrangements-she wants to check in with you to make sure you approve them."

"Got it."

"You're doing just fine, Mimi," Sora told her with a smile.

Mimi looked a little less sullen after that, and Sora could see Mimi's lips slowly curling.

"Oh, Sora," she said, smiling back. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

As Mimi turned back to the pot, Izzy appeared from his office down the hall, greeting Sora with warm hug. He went to Mimi's side, putting his arm around her waist while trying to lift the cover from the pot. Mimi slapped the back of his hand away, but moments later, Sora saw them share a kiss, followed by Mimi touching the tip of his nose with hers. Sora looked on at the two of them cuddling, and she smiled, remembering the time Izzy told her the same words Mimi did.

It happened just before their anniversary on November 1st, two months after Tai's departure. Mimi thought it was strange for Izzy to invite friends to a restaurant for any occasion, but she had no idea Izzy wanted to pop the question then.

"I wanted to ask you first, Sora," he told her a week before the anniversary as they both sat on the couch of their home. Sora had no trouble giving her approval, and she also had no trouble bursting into tears of joy that she let flood down her cheeks.

"What's this?" Mimi asked, hurrying down the staircase. "Sora, what's wrong? Why are you crying? Izzy, did you make her cry?"

"He did, Mimi," said Sora, wiping her eyes as Mimi ran to her side to rub her shoulder. "But he's so wonderful, I'm just-so happy-"

Sora pulled Izzy into an embrace as she let the tears continue.

"Thank you, Sora," he said, hugging her back. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Izzy popped the question on the night of their anniversary, which he and Mimi also set as the date of their wedding. Even as Sora wept happily for them when Mimi leapt into Izzy's arms with a kiss, she remembered feeling a numbness sneaking up on her when she looked to the empty seat next to her, saved for the only person in their circle that they hoped could attend but was over a thousand miles away.

Sora shifted atop the barstool she sat on now, hoping the same numbness would go away.

Just as Izzy and Mimi pulled apart, the front door opened, and Matt walked in. Sora swiveled her barstool to face him at the foyer. He called out his greeting and took off his shoes, setting his jacket onto the edge of the couch next to Sora's.

"I hope I didn't miss anything," Matt said, walking over to Sora to give her a hug.

"You missed Sora try to steal pie before my stew," Mimi said, glancing at her as she pointed the wooden spoon toward her.

"Not surprising," he said, and Sora grimaced at him as he moved to hug Mimi in the kitchen, and then Izzy, who disappeared back into his office soon after.

"How are you, Sora?" Matt asked.

"Oh, you know, Matt, just living the dr.. the dream."

"You don't say…?"

Realizing what she said, Sora found herself taking a sudden interest in her nails. Her nails she always trimmed short so she didn't have to worry about scratching or getting dirt under them if they got too long. She promised Mimi that she would stop clipping them at least three weeks before the wedding, so that she could get them painted in lavender and vanilla, the wedding colors…

Even when studying the anatomy of her nail beds, Sora couldn't avoid Matt's watchful eyes, especially after the falter he was sure to have noticed in her voice. Although he was reserved by nature, he was also keen on reading her, regardless of how hard she tried hiding it.

"Yes, Matt?" she said, hoping a short conversation would steer his suspicion away.

"You seem different, Sora," he said, sounding thoughtful, but his words were heavy with meaning.

_He knows._

"You know what? You're right, Matt," Mimi said, her eyes now also on Sora. "You do seem less irritable this week. Is work going okay?"

"Well… sure," Sora replied, going along with Mimi's question as she looked at Matt, then Mimi again. "Work hasn't changed much. I still have that big portfolio I need to finish. It's stressful, as always, but I'm managing."

Matt wasn't buying it, and, to Sora's chagrin, neither was Mimi.

"Hmm…" Mimi put her index finger against her lips, thinking for a moment. Suddenly, she gasped. "Is it a guy?! It  _has_ to be a guy."

Sora rolled her eyes, but Matt pressed his lips together.

"..Nothing's changed there either, Meems," she replied rather loudly, hopefully to get it through Matt's head, too.

Mimi groaned, turning around and walking back to the pot. "Figures."

"Is that so wrong, Mimi?" Sora asked, feeling defensive. "I can't handle that kind of distraction right now. I really want to make sure I get my portfolio just right-I mean, thank goodness I have Aki-chan there to bounce ideas off of. Besides, I'd rather focus my energy into this wedding."

Mimi turned the stove knob to a lower heat setting, then turned back to Sora, leaning against the stove. "I'm happy that you're my Maid of Honor, Sora. You have no idea how happy I am. But you really don't need to share the burden."

"And Mimi, as  _honored_ as I am to be your Maid of Honor-" Matt let out a snicker at that "-you're also my best friend. I want to be there for you every step of the way."

"Oh, Sora…" Mimi sighed, setting the wooden spoon on a plate next to the pot, and Sora noticed then that it was a sadder sigh than before. Then, when Mimi lifted a pie from the rack to place it on the counter in front of her, questions began to rise in Sora's head.

"I thought the stew was almost done…"

Mimi brought out a fork, and her look was now grave. "You might need this apple pie. I can't hold this from you anymore, so I should tell you now before anything else happens. I don't know how you'll feel about it."

Sora glanced at Matt, who appeared just as curious as she did, and then took the fork from Mimi.

Mimi went on. "I haven't told anyone else yet but… Tai's back in town. Kari told me, and I figured it was important for you to know, in case you ran into him or something…"

"Oh… right…"

Sora could see Matt's expression change-his lips were pressed again, but she knew he held back a smile.

Still, Sora felt she had to go along with it. She couldn't tell Mimi then and there what had happened. Otherwise, she would need to devour one more pie than this.

"I don't know what to say, Mimi. Thanks for telling me," Sora said, but as she lowered her fork into the crust, Mimi smacked her hand over the pie. Her eyebrows angled over her narrowing eyes, and she grasped the pan and dragged it along the countertop, back to her and away from Sora.

"Something tells me you already knew about this!" Mimi said fiercely. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-I didn't have time…" Sora stuttered, in a higher pitched tone than normal. She was caught red-handed, and she knew it. "I ran into him on... Tuesday."

Mimi glared as she snatched Sora's fork away.

"We talked on Wednesday. You've been here for two whole hours tonight and you didn't care to mention any of this?"

"That reminds me," Matt said, and Sora knew he would add fuel to the fire, "He called me up yesterday. He mentioned something about running into Sora the other day."

"Hmph!" Mimi lifted the pie angrily and smacked it back down with the others. "Does no one tell me anything anymore?!"

Sora shot a look at Matt, but he returned a look of amusement.

"I haven't seen him since he got back, though. He said you two met up for dinner. How's he doing?"

Sora wanted to strangle him. But just then, Mimi let out another gasp as she whirled around with a wide-eyed realization, causing Matt and Sora to turn to her.

You  _hooked up_ ," Mimi blurted out.

Sora flinched, Mimi's stare now brighter and angrier.

"You ran into him, and you had dinner, and you _hooked up._ With  _him. Without telling me-"_

"Mimi!" Sora shrieked in a panic. "We shouldn't talk about this right now!" Sora blushed furiously, knowing Matt was looking at her with eyebrows raised.

"Don't you understand how wrong this is?" Mimi asked, still angry but now at the same level of panic. "Especially how you both ended things, and how bad it was for you, how bad it was for Tai even-"

"Tai?" Izzy popped back into view. "He said he was back in town. I heard from him a couple of days ago."

" _Are you freaking kidding me?!_ " Mimi raged. "My friends-my  _best friend-my own fiance_ -oh, that is IT! Dinner is cancelled!"

Sora exchanged glances with Izzy, then with Matt, then slinked off of her chair. She took deep breaths to calm herself down and remove the frightened look from her face, but prepared herself to calm Mimi down, too.

"Mimi.." Sora found herself back on the kitchen tiles with her. "Mimi, don't be like this…"

"I don't care if you go home and  _starve."_ Mimi turned with her back facing Sora, her arms crossed, and her nose turned up in the air.

"Mimi…" Sora called again gently. "Think about this. How many pies have you made this week from all the wedding stress?"

"The fridge is full of em," Izzy piped next to Matt. "I suggest we start a bakery."

Sora shot daggers at Izzy and waved him off. But Mimi still looked hurt.

"I don't want to even list the mishaps over the course of helping you plan, to spare you from the anxiety all over again," Sora added.

"I appreciate it," Mimi replied in a small voice, still looking away.

"On top of that, do you think it would be fair for me to unload my fair share of troubles to you, Mimi?"

"Of  _course_ , Sora!" She wailed. "How else am I going to keep my mind off of mine?! Other than apple picking?! And maybe starting a bakery-thank you, love." she added, even through her cracking voice.

"Absolutely," said Izzy.

Mimi turned to Sora, her eyes watering. "You're always putting yourself on the backburner when it comes to people you care about. I want to know these things about you, too, Sora."

As Mimi cried, Sora presumed it was her heightened stress boiling over, but it still made Sora feel guilty for making her cry.

"Okay. Okay, Mimi, I will. I love you." Sora hugged her as Mimi sniffled into her shoulder.

"I hate you for not telling me, but I love you too," responded Mimi, muffled through her shirt.

When Sora felt relieved enough to see Mimi's mood improved, she gave her another hug, and Sora headed back to her seat. Mimi picked up a wooden spoon again for another stir check of the pot.

"You weren't serious about cancelling dinner, right?" Izzy asked, stepping into the kitchen. "Wouldn't we have to tell Tai?"

Sora stopped in her tracks. There was a loud sound of the wooden spoon smacked hard against the edge of the pot.

"Why would you have to tell him?" Sora asked, dreading Izzy's response.

"I invited him when I talked to him last."

Silence.

"You did  _what?"_ Sora said, the color draining in her face.

"Oh, boy..." Sora heard Matt say, but she was too focused on glaring at Izzy, who cluelessly stood before Mimi-Mimi, who was seething with her grip tightening on the spoon in her hand.

"I supposed it would be a pleasant affair to have all of us gather again, especially since we haven't seen him in a while."

" _You should have told me this sooner!"_ shouted Mimi, lunging forward with the wooden spoon raised, although Matt grabbed her by the waist to stop her in time.

"I don't understand!" said Izzy, frantically dodging from Mimi's flailing arms.

Sora's panic level rose again.

"Did you give him a time, Izzy?" Sora asked, calmly, but her heart rate increasing.

"I didn't, actually. I just told him whenever he got out of work. He said usually he stays late, but he might get out of work earlier since it's the end of the week…"

Sora thought hard as Matt continued to struggle to keep Mimi from attacking Izzy, Izzy now staring at Sora curiously.

It was around this time on Tuesday that she was still out and about before meeting Tai. They met about an hour afterward, after he just left the office. Either he just left the office now, or he was already on his way-

Mimi stopped wriggling free from Matt's hold as soon as she noticed Sora moving quickly.

"Sora, where are you going?" she asked, as though all of her screaming and yelling never happened.

"I can't be here. I have to go."

"Don't be like that, Sora," said Matt. "At least stay for a while."

She quickly went past the couch, grabbing her purse and nothing else as she headed toward the door, hastily jumping into her shoes for the dire chance to run out the door before he got there-

There was a knock on the door, just as Sora reached the door handle. Slowly, she turned around to see her friends watching her in the living room.

Helplessly, she opened the door, and there he stood.

"Sora… Hey."

He looked just as surprised to see her, but she had to stand firm.

"Hello, Tai. I was just about to leave."

Sora expected him to respond back, or even move out the way. However, she watched as the look of surprise on his face morphed into a look of skepticism.

"So, you're leaving, huh?"

"Yeah, that's right. I've got things to take care of. So, if you'll excuse me." She moved to his side to pass him, but he held his hand up to the door frame to block her.

"You sure you wanna do that right now?"

Sora was getting annoyed. "I'm positive, Tai, let me through."

"I positively will  _not_  let you through."

" _Tai."_

He let out a facetious laugh. "I'm not letting you through. It's 64 degrees outside, Sora. There's a wind chill. You'd probably have a really good reason to walk out in only jeans and that long sleeve top of yours that you don't look too warm in."

Her eyes narrowed at him, but she noticed him comfortably wearing a jacket with its hood hanging below his wild hair behind him. She felt the chilly breeze entering the house from behind where Tai stood, and just noticed the thin layer of her long-sleeved top.

She had forgotten her own jacket and scarf on the couch in her hurried escape attempt. As she realized this, she turned around to get it, only to be met by Matt who stood before her, holding them up for her already.

 _Dammit_.

It was hard enough arguing against Tai on his own sometimes, but Sora exhausted so much more energy when the argument involved a tag team with Matt, Tai's best friend and roommate throughout all of university. She knew well enough to raise a white flag if she didn't want to emotionally drain herself, which she preferred not to do at the moment.

"Never mind," she muttered, seeing the two of them exchange glances from the corner of her eye. "I'm going to help Mimi." She turned away from Tai and snatched her scarf and jacket away from Matt, avoiding eyes from either of them as she went further back inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 64 F equates to 17.78 C. It's cold for me! I get cold easily. xP  
> Thanks for reading! Stay Warm <3


	4. [friends, obviously]

Whenever Matt and Tai greeted each other, they slapped hands together, followed by odd waves and wiggling fingers in a handshake that Tai came up with at university. Matt refused to do it the first couple of months, but one day, Sora saw Matt give in to Tai's pleas, by some odd miracle. As she watched them perform their ridiculous greeting now, she hoped it spared her enough time to at least leave the room.

"Do you need any help, Mimi?" Sora asked when she followed her back into the kitchen, trying to sound casual, but she knew that her higher than normal tone failed her again. Thankfully, Mimi caught on to her intent, but looked at her with a frown.

"I've already set out the bowls on the dining table," Mimi said. "Maybe you can make sure we have extra napkins?"

Sora eyed the table which was always set for eight people. Each spot was laid out with dishware and utensils placed neatly together, and a cloth napkin folded on top. Mimi already had everything prepared, and Sora expected her to suggest napkins as a last resort necessity.

But it was enough reason for her to disappear into the pantry, placed just between the kitchen and the dining room. When she turned the light on inside, she closed the door behind her and pushed her back against the door, breathing out a long sigh.

_So much for avoiding him._

Sora couldn't place the blame on Izzy for inviting Tai over. She knew how much Izzy adored Tai, and in the goodness of his heart, he wanted to make sure he got to see Tai as much as he could before he decided to leave again.

_Why couldn't he just leave now?_

It was a little bit chilly in the pantry, but Sora decided to withstand it. She dreaded the thought of going back out to her friends. It was going to be just as awkward as it was when she and Tai broke up before, and, by now, she had gotten used to hanging out with her friends without him being around.

But this was only temporary, right?  _"Temporary,"_  he said. However long that meant. Maybe she would just have to endure him being here for a short while longer. For now, she wanted peace in the cold pantry.

Of course, peace was a dream when it came to dealing with these friends. She barely had time to dwell on her first thought when a knock came from the other side of the door.

"Sora, I'm coming in."

It was Matt. Immediately pushing herself off of the door, she hurried and crouched at the first shelf that caught her eye to sift through as the door creaked open and closed behind her.

"Hiding, are we?" Matt asked.

"Those napkins are really hard to find…" Sora replied, knowingly rummaging through bags of dried pasta.

"Found 'em. Right in front."

Sora turned to see Matt pulling out a stack of paper napkins on a middle shelf closest to the edge of the door.

"How could you, Takenouchi Sora, who tends to be just as meticulous as the owner of this pantry, so easily miss these?"

She stood up from her spot, crossing her arms as she approached him.

"Did he put you up to this?" she asked, and Matt set the napkins back with no change to his mellow expression.

"What? Did you think Tai asked me to come in and check on you? I'm doing this on my own accord, Sora. You shouldn't be hiding like this."

"What makes you think I'm hiding? What if I just want to be alone? Don't tell me you don't have those moments, either."

Matt's eyes flickered with a tinge of annoyance.

"If I wanted to be alone, I'd either let everyone know that I'm not going to show up, or I'd leave the party early. Not hide in a pantry without telling anyone why."

" _I'm not hiding,"_ Sora raised her voice, and heightened her stance toward him. "I should have just left when I had the chance!"

"And what's stopping you?"

She paused, not knowing what else to answer.

"Just let me have my space, Matt. I wasn't planning on seeing him tonight."

"Oh, because a year and a half's worth of space wasn't enough for you?"

Sora stared at him in disbelief, but he remained steadfast. Her face fell, feeling hurt by his biting words, but she knew for a fact that Matt wouldn't say anything without purpose.

"What's this about, Matt?" she asked, hearing herself suddenly sounding frail. Crossing her arms didn't help at all.

"Do you not even want to be friends with him, anymore, Sora?"

His words continued to hit her like shards of ice hitting her square in the chest.

" _Friends"._

Why…

 _Why_ did that word bother her when it came to Tai?

In her further discomfort, Sora looked away and made sure her hair tucked behind her ear.

"Well, I… I saw him the other day, didn't I?"

Matt laughed. "Yeah, but we all know how that ended now."

"It's not like we both didn't want to!"

Sora blushed through her irritation with Matt, but mostly with embarrassment, remembering how Mimi blatantly shouted it out.

"Fair enough, Sora," Matt replied, his smile and laughter now wearing away. "Other than that… How often did you contact him since he left?"

Matt made her think about it. She mostly heard about happenings with Tai, maybe selectively, through Izzy, Matt and Mimi, all who she knew contacted him regularly. Between her and Tai, however, there were maybe some texts, here and there. A Beijing postcard from him, and a Tokyo postcard back. A few messages of, "hope you're well!" and, "hope to see you soon..." but, nothing too major.

"People drift apart," Sora concluded, after running through the past year in her head.

"And?" Matt asked, and she knew he was throwing last Tuesday back at her.

"And it's not like feelings disappear, Matt," she added, with a hint of a plea in her voice to end this conversation. She dropped her arms to her sides, stepping toward him now. "People will still come together again like a year hasn't passed."

"But it  _has_ , Sora." Matt moved to her until they met face to face. "You were together for a long time, I get that. But, you know, he asked about you from time to time. You've never asked about him. I don't know where you two stand with each other anymore, but he never wanted you out of his life. What about you?"

Matt was always silent among the group. His reserved nature had him quiet at the dinner table, but Sora could gather what his thoughts were based on his ever-observant blue eyes, and the expressions on his face.

She also knew that Matt wouldn't talk this way to anyone else, other than her, and maybe Tai. Perhaps it was because he knew the both of them since junior high. He saw them grow closer in high school, and, as close as he was to them both, he got to see firsthand the whole of their relationship, from its sweet beginning and past its bitter end. On top of that, looking at the concern in his blue eyes reminded Sora how much her and Tai's breakup affected him and their friends.

Matt himself wouldn't admit it though. He wouldn't want to worry her. Exactly like something she knew she did for everyone else.

Which was why she ended up confiding in him most of the time.

"I don't want him out of my life," she confessed. "I'm not getting back together with him, but I don't want that."

"Then, what do you want?"

"I… I don't know. I guess... I want to be friends."

Matt sighed, his stare towards her now sympathetic.

"I've grilled you enough," he said with melancholy. "I hope you figure it out soon. I just don't want to see you both hurt again."

"I know, Matt." Sora replied, frowning as she thought about Tai's feelings, her own feelings, and looking at him now, even Matt's. "I know. Come here."

They shared an embrace. She didn't tell Matt everything. Matt didn't say how he felt about the situation. But somehow, Sora felt that they both understood each other. She held onto her dear friend, glad that she felt a sense of comfort in that moment.

 _Knock, knock._  Sora's eyes drifted to the door as the knob slowly turned. She stared, frozen in Matt's hug with momentary fear as the door slowly opened.

"Everything okay in here?" came Izzy's voice. As Sora registered his red spiky hair and curious gaze, she exhaled a sigh of relief and let go of Matt.

_Thank goodness it was Izzy._

"Everything's fine," Sora said.

"Good," he replied, but suddenly looked frazzled. "Mimi's been talking to Tai all the while. She's been shooting dirty looks at me. I'm not looking forward to later tonight."

Now it was Sora's turn to look sympathetic. "For what it's worth, I don't blame you."

"Duly noted. I appreciate it."

As soon as Izzy left the pantry, Matt put his hand on Sora's shoulder.

"We should probably get back out there," he said. "Before we give him any ideas."

"Right," said Sora, hugging her arms now. "It's cold in here, anyway."

Sora stepped out of the pantry first, finding Mimi and Tai standing in the middle of the kitchen, chatting away. Sure enough, as Tai left Mimi in the kitchen to join Izzy in the living room, Sora noticed him glance his way towards them.

"Sora, can you grab the drinks?" Mimi asked as Sora approached her. "Matt, can you please grab the rice? The stew is just about done. And where are the napkins?"

She realized Mimi was being serious about the napkins, and that she left the pantry empty handed.

"Right here," said Matt, gliding past the two of them, placing the stack of paper napkins in Sora's hand.

"Thank you," Sora mouthed to him. Holding the napkins under her arm, she grabbed a few bottles of beer from the fridge to hand out to the others.

She set the first bottle of beer on the counter next to Matt who had just stopped in front of the rice cooker. She stood next to him to lean forward as he popped the lid open to feel the rush of heat on her face as the steam rose from the rice pot. Then, she grinned at Matt who shot her a look before she walked away.

Approaching the living room, Sora shivered. Having just left the pantry, she felt a need to be close to a heat source. Obviously, the rice cooker was not enough, and the central heater had already been running, but her central target was being near the fireplace that was blazing full force in the living room.

That was where she wanted to stand for a while, and where Izzy stood nearby… with Tai.

_Friends… I guess._

After inhaling another deep breath, she approached them, and when Tai took notice of her, he gave her a smile.

"Got your 'things' taken care of, Sora?" he asked as she handed him a beer.

"Ah…" She remembered her earlier escape attempt, and she saw his eyes just as watchful as Matt's. "I've decided they could wait. It  _is_  the weekend, after all."

"I'm happy you made that decision, Sora," said Izzy. "It makes Mimi happy, as well. You and Matt are the only ones who can make it to our dinners. Joe usually has his doctor duties, and TK's stuck at university, but Kari-"

"Kari's got her reasons," Tai interrupted, making Sora and Izzy turn to Tai as he took a swig of his beer. Sora stared, noticing the corners of his lips uncurled, his eyes unreadable.

"Well…" Izzy continued. "I imagine it wouldn't be as enjoyable if you decided to leave, Sora."

"Hey." Tai looked to Izzy, his expression changing immediately, and his brows furrowed. "What about me?"

"It's always a pleasure to be in your company, Tai. I did invite you, after all."

Tai looked at Izzy, who looked back nonchalantly. He then looked to Sora, who couldn't help but giggle at Tai's confusion. It was a look he gave her all too often when it came to interactions with Izzy, and somehow, Sora was glad she had Izzy's oblivious nature to lighten the mood.

"I echo the sentiments from earlier, though, Sora," said Izzy. "You shouldn't work yourself too hard."

"Right?!" Mimi appeared with her arm draped around Sora's frame and a bottle of wine in her hand. "You're going to help me finish this bottle of red, Sora."

Sora held the bottom of the bottle with her hands as she read the label, her eyes widening at the name.

"Pinot Noir!" she affirmed, meeting Mimi's eyes and sharing her giddy excitement.

"Uh oh," said Tai.

Mimi didn't bring out the wine on any occasion-it was mostly for a girls' night in, and when either of them needed a pick me up from life's troubles. The more she and Mimi drank it, the happier they felt about every little thing around them.

Tonight, for Sora, it was going to make dinner so much easier.

They all gathered around the table, which was already set with plates served with stew and a scoop of rice on the side. Bowls of the stew and rice of bigger sizes sat in the center for more servings. Matt, Tai, and Izzy already had their beers, though Mimi set wine glasses for her and Sora to pour wine in. They all took their seats, with Mimi sitting in the middle of one side between Tai and Izzy, and Matt and Sora sitting on the other side. Sora noticed Mimi glance at Izzy when she adjusted her seat, not with a glare, but still with a slight look of contempt.

" _Itadakimasu!_ " they chorused, picking up their chopsticks and digging in.

Mimi's cooking never disappointed. They all sat quietly as they consumed the first bites. Sora could only hear the sounds of chopsticks tapping against the plates, but she had no doubt they were all taking in the piping hot combination of beef, carrots and rice with gusto like she was.

" _Gawd,_ Mimi, I missed your cooking," said Tai as he attacked his plate.

"Seriously, Mimi," Sora said, "this stew is amazing. It's so good with the rice, too."

"I'm glad you're all enjoying it!" Mimi said, smiling widely, but she added quietly as her smile faltered a little, "Izzy, the water in the rice was a tad short."

Sora found herself sharing a glance with Tai across the table as they heard Mimi's comment, and she knew he remembered the conversations between them about Mimi's perfectionist commentary on cooking toward Izzy, who was a perfectionist in his own respect, on what seemed like anything but. It forced a smile on her face, and she wanted to look away from Tai, only to keep from laughing out loud.

"I think the rice is fine, Izzy," Sora told him with assurance and suppressing a giggle, but she saw Matt shake his head from the corner of her eye.

Perhaps it was the effects of the wine, but Sora began to see that being at the same table, or even in the same room with Tai wasn't so bad, after all. As they all continued eating and helped themselves to more servings, the chatter amongst them progressed. Izzy mentioned his final year of graduate studies and working as a research assistant at a lab for Ion Beam Physics - which sounded complex and incredible at the same time for everyone else at the table, including Sora.

When Mimi brought out forks with slices of apple pie, Sora listened to Tai encouraging Mimi about the bakery idea that Izzy started. Mimi and Tai shared that interest of business, especially since they took some of the same classes at university, so Sora had gotten used to listening in to their conversations. In the meantime, Sora turned to Matt, next to her, quietly enjoying his pie.

"I'm sure Sora's just waiting to be handed that promotion she's sure to get," said Mimi suddenly, and loudly at that, as though she purposely intended to draw everyone's, mainly Tai's, attention to her.

Sora kept her wine glass close to her lips, noting that all the pairs of eyes at the table now fell on her. She was okay with talking about her job, but she was uncomfortable when she became the center of attention. She never liked to flaunt, especially when it came to the fact that she had been working under a fashion designer for  _Haru, Inc_., one of the most popular brands in Japan.

"Come on, guys," said Sora, avoiding Tai, and even Mimi's stare. "There are ten of us trying to get on a creative team with only three spots. Everyone has their own great ideas."

"There she goes being modest," said Matt as she sipped on her wine.

"Your boss already loves you!" Mimi said. "I bet she's talking about you to Haru-san herself!"

"I believe it," said Tai. "You're definitely going to get a spot."

The heat surrounded her out of nowhere. She felt hot on her face, and her light long sleeve suddenly felt too stuffy to wear. How much wine has she already drunk, and how much more should she…?

_Calm down, Sora._

Luckily, Matt stole her thunder when he mentioned his band writing a new song for Mimi's wedding.

"You are?!" Mimi said with her eyes lit up.

"Of course, you'd throw that in at some point," Tai retorted. "Seeing as you're the  _best man_."

A smirk formed on Matt's face. "Now, now, Tai. You seem a little bit envious," he said.

"Me? Envious of _you?_ Yeah, right."

"...Yeah, definitely envious."

"I just said I  _wasn't._ "

Sora saw Izzy let out an exasperated sigh as Tai and Matt began their banter. It was Mimi's turn to share amused looks with Sora, this time as they drank their cups at the same time.

And they both continued drinking, even as Tai and Matt's banter stopped, and the pie slices disappeared from their plates. Sora drew attention to herself again, although she was on a Pinot Noir high at that point to even care, as she and Mimi tried holding a conversation across the table, only to end their sentences with bursts of giggles.

"It's that point in the night, boys," Sora heard Tai say, covering her mouth and feeling her eyes watering from laughing so hard. "We've lost the girls to wine."

The night went faster as Sora stayed on this high. The next thing she knew, everyone dispersed from the dining area. She ended up on the couch, Mimi in the kitchen again, and the boys worked together to clear the table. Then, Tai announced he should head out, and Sora wondered if her frown was showing.

She stared at Tai as he sauntered through the kitchen to greet everyone goodbye with a hug. Her thoughts dawdled on how his smile brought out his boyish features. It made him pleasing to look at, then, how he smiled with affection, even as he expressed gratitude to Mimi, admired Izzy, and taunted Matt.

"Goodnight, Sora," he said, and she jumped up from the couch so she could get a hug she anticipated from him. She let their embrace linger, latching onto his warmth like she used to, even as she ignored a small voice in her head that warned her not to.

"Goodnight, Tai," she said flashing her smile when they pulled apart, and she melted at the sight of his smile on her.

Shortly after Tai left, Matt appeared by Sora's side, nearly making her jump in fright.

"Friends, right?" he asked, and she scowled.

"Friends, obviously," she said. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"You're hopeless, Sora," he told her, but she reacted with a giggle.

"I can't help myself," she said.

"I'm heading out. The trains are still running. Wanna catch a train together?"

"Sora's not leaving!" Mimi commanded with a slur in her voice, appearing out of nowhere like Matt did. She stood between Sora and Matt, grimacing at him. "We haven't finished the wine!"

"I don't want any more, Mimi," said Sora as she held out her glass for Mimi to turn to her and pour more in.

"Both of you are hopeless," added Matt as Mimi joined Sora's laughter.

"You can't take Sora from me tonight," Mimi went on, staring at Matt again with her glassy brown eyes. "I really need her advice on something."

"You know how Mimi gets when she asks for advice," said Sora.

"Can't get around that, I guess," Matt said, and Sora got up to give him a hug goodbye.

"I guess we'll talk later, Ya-ma-cchi," she added with a whisper.

Sora giggled as Matt's face went expressionless. It was a nickname she called him for years, much to his disdain. Matt reacted even worse whenever Tai tried to call him that, but Sora knew Matt would never be mad at her for it.

Izzy showed up to bid Matt goodbye as well, and as Matt walked out the door, Sora watched Mimi wrap her arms around Izzy from his back, leaning herself against him.

"I'm still angry with you, you know," she said gloomily, but she held onto him tightly.

"You certainly aren't acting like it," Izzy said, with a mixed expression of apprehension and relief.

"But I am," Mimi whined.

"Then, how long will you be angry with me?"

"You crossed the line without telling me about Tai showing up, so, forever."

"So, in conclusion, we should cancel our wedding, then?" Izzy looked up, unconcerned as Mimi kissed his cheek.

"Cancel everything."

"You two." Sora remained sat on the couch, her legs crossed, her uncontrollable laughter escaping her as she drank more of her wine. "If this is how couples should make up, I should be taking notes."

"I highly doubt any note taking right now would be of any benefit to you," Izzy said, Mimi now resting her head on the back of his shoulder. "You've already had enough to drink."

Sora couldn't tell with Izzy's deadpan stare whether he was being serious or retorting with sarcasm, but her thoughts were interrupted when Mimi lifted her head up.

"Not enough," Mimi said. Prying herself off of Izzy, she stumbled her way through the living room and into the kitchen. Izzy panicked when he saw her nearly trip and followed right behind her.

"Come here, Sora," she called. Slowly, Sora collected herself, wine glass grasped in her hand as she rose from the couch and landed back to the bar stool she sat on at the beginning of the evening.

"I always want your advice, Sora," said Mimi, hovering over the oven. "But you probably knew it was just to get Matt to leave. We were lucky that Tai left without me having to force him on his way."

It was impressive to Sora, and even to Izzy as he stood close by, seeing Mimi holding up a warm pie with her oven mitts, carefully and steadily, even with all that she drank.

Sora stared at the pie curiously as it left the oven, noticing a fruity scent, familiar but different than that of apple. She didn't smell any cinnamon or nutmeg, but it was sweeter, calmer, and more refreshing, and it took her back to warmer, sunnier days. When Mimi set the pie in front of her, Sora noticed the top of the crust had a slight deep purple color oozing out, and she realized it wasn't apple pie at all.

" _Blueberry pie?!"_  Sora gasped. "You didn't…"

"I took the last of the blueberries at the market the other day and I thought you'd appreciate it. Now…"

Mimi brought out three forks, each for herself, Sora, and Izzy. She set them down next to the pie, then went around the corner to sit next to Sora, with Izzy taking a seat on the other side. Mimi took the bottle of Pinot Noir to split the remainder of its contents between the two of them into their wine glasses that filled to over half of the glass. Mimi's look was serious.

"I need to hear about Tuesday night," Mimi said. "Spill."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't mean for this chapter to be as long as it go, but, you know.. writing happens. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading and thank you for the kudos!!! Makes me feel so warm and cozy. Stay warm. <3


	5. [lost to the wine]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Noir is pronounced “nu-war”. Kind of like “nu-warrior”. Weird, huh? *coughs*

Before Sora knew it, the dawn of Saturday morning arrived. The light from the sunlit sky crept through the windows, reaching her squinting eyes, making her want to turn to her other side from where she lay to face against it.

Moving her body even a little made her realize she had been sleeping on one end of Mimi’s couch. Without opening her eyes, she knew it was the end of the couch right next to the fireplace, in which the fire must have died down a few hours before. She wondered if she dreamed it at first, but she couldn’t mistake the familiar feeling of a weight against her. Mimi and Izzy always offered their guest bedroom, but Sora declined during the colder months to sleep by the crackling fire. He always wanted to be by her side, of course, and feeling his body so close to hers added to the warmth and cozy feeling.

She ran her hand down her side, expecting to feel his long brown hair along her fingers, only to find that they ended up on the fleece of the blanket. Opening her eyes, she recognized she was only dreaming after all, as the cold air trickled through the fleece blanket around her. She also registered the pain in her head, the dryness in her throat, and the discomfort in her stomach.

Sora remembered eating the pie with Mimi and Izzy, but she also remembered finishing off the rest of the Pinot Noir with Mimi before the remainder of the night blurred in her memory. If she moved another inch, her nausea had her wondering if the wine and the pie would decide to shoot back up her throat.

“Oh, you’re awake, Sora.”

It might have been Izzy’s voice, but Sora closed her eyes again, waiting for the nausea to subside. She heard the sound of glass clinking from the cabinet, followed by a soft rush of water running, then stopping.

“Here you go.” Sora heard the hushed voice in front of her now, and when she opened her eyes, Izzy was knelt down in front of her, holding up a glass of water.

“Thanks, Izzy,” she said. Deciding to brave the pending wave of nausea, she slowly raised herself to sit up on the couch. She felt relieved to feel nothing, but as she reached for the glass, the feeling started creeping up. Izzy caught on quickly and jumped out of her way as she stumbled off the couch and rushed to the bathroom, making it to the toilet bowl just in time.

“Geez,” Sora said aloud after heaving. She couldn’t remember a hangover this bad. Her alcohol tolerance was usually pretty high, even with all the drinking games with the cheapest beer at college parties, and even when she won against Tai downing shots of rum...

_Tai…_

As her head dropped into the toilet again, her memory of drinking after the breakup resurfaced. She remembered the morning after that, with Mimi and Matt at her side as she hurled into the toilet, tears mixing in. Sora realized that her feeling now didn’t even compare.

“Are you alright, Sora?” she heard Izzy’s voice again, this time from outside the bathroom door.

“I think I’m okay now, Izzy,” she said, taking slow breaths to make sure the nausea was mostly gone.

Izzy walked in, still holding the glass of water for her.

“How’s Mimi doing?” she asked as she lifted her head up at him.

“No different than you are, Sora,” he replied. “She was vomiting earlier, but she was able to stand up before I got to you. Needless to say, blueberry pie and too much wine don’t mix well together.”

“I think it was just too much wine, really,” Sora said with a frown, taking the glass from Izzy and taking gulps of water, which helped greatly. “I’m never drinking again.”

“The more you all say that, the less I’m inclined to believe it.”

Sora laughed. Izzy always showed up to gatherings with Mimi, but hardly ever drank, even when Tai tried to get him to try a sip of his beer. He gave in one evening, to Tai’s satisfaction, but he showed no interest for alcohol after one taste, leaving Tai wearing a scowl afterwards.

“Sora, Izzy.” Sora heard Mimi from outside. “I’m making breakfast.”

“I’m glad you’re feeling alright.” Izzy said to Sora. “Do you need help getting up?”

“If you don’t mind,” she replied. She took Izzy’s hand to get up from the floor, and he helped her walk over to the sink for her to freshen up.

Then, Izzy turned to the door. “I'll be outside if you need further assistance.”

Sora looked at the mess of her face and hair in the mirror before her. She didn’t put foundation on, but her eyeliner and mascara were smudged at the corner of her eyes. Her hair was like a fuzzy hive, and no brushing or flattening would make it look any better than it did. Thankfully, Mimi kept some makeup remover in the cabinets to fix Sora’s raccoon look, and Sora found a scrunchie to pull her hair up into a look she could tolerate.

When she walked out of the bathroom, Sora found Mimi in the kitchen, wearing her shirt and pajama pants.  Sora admired how Mimi kept her hair tame, her long, light brown hair that fell past her shoulders with its sleek layers and waves. Mimi never let herself appear disheveled to her guests in the morning, not even to Sora, but her eyes still told a different story. She stood in front of the stove, staring blankly at the bacon and sausage links sizzling in the pan. Without a word, Sora went over to her and put her arms around her waist, leaning her head against Mimi’s shoulder.

“We lost to the wine,” Mimi said somberly, as she tilted her head towards Sora’s.

“Mmm,” said Sora, remember something similar being said the night before.

Izzy joined them in the kitchen, and together they helped Mimi with cooking. Mimi put a large amount of coffee grounds and water to brew. Sora whipped the eggs in a large bowl while Izzy took charge of the pancakes. As soon as the coffee pot filled to the brim, breakfast was served on three plates at the dining table, and Sora, Mimi, and Izzy ate together quietly.

Sora felt her mood improve slightly after clearing her plate, and especially after drinking her coffee, feeling the warmth from each sip.

“I don’t remember a lot about last night, Sora,” said Mimi, who seemed more alert after the meal, with her eyes less groggy. She sat across the table from Izzy and Sora as she lifted her feet onto her chair, her knees bent and leaning in front of her. “I remember you telling me about that night with Tai, and then what happened the next morning.”

“That’s as much as I remember, Meems,” Sora replied, slouched in her seat against the table, sipping more of her coffee. When trying to make sense of the blurred memories, she came up with more laughter between her and Mimi, and holding out her phone, which somehow ended up in Izzy’s hands.

“Sora, did he ever explain why he said, ‘temporary’?” Mimi asked.

“He didn’t,” she said.

“It doesn’t make sense for him not to. He’s thinking of moving back to Tokyo.”

Sora sat up straighter, staring at Mimi. “He is?”

“That’s what Kari told me when she said he was back. She didn’t say why, though. They’re being a little secretive, don’t you think? I mean, she didn’t give me a reason why she couldn’t show up last night.”

“Tai was acting oddly last night when I mentioned Kari,” added Izzy. It was one of the things Sora remembered clearly.

“You’d think that he’d tell you, Sora. Right?”

_Why wouldn’t he tell me?_

“I don’t know, Mimi,” was all she could say. “There are a lot of things he might not be telling me. But, it’s not like we’re at a place we can tell each other everything right now, anyway. Maybe he thinks we should ease his way back into being friends…”

Sora took a sharp breath, unsure if the word triggered a new bout of nausea.

“But, Sora,” said Izzy. “That’s not what your intentions were last night.”

“What do you mean, Izzy?” she asked, sluggishly taking another sip of her coffee.

“You begged me to text him for you last night, so that’s what I did.”

Sora paused with the mug stopped at her lips. Any further, and she would have spilled.

_Why was my phone in Izzy’s hands?_

“Where is my phone…?” Sora asked suddenly, her eyes wide at Izzy, and then darting to Mimi, who looked just as surprised as she did. Without further pause, Sora jumped out of her chair and hurried to the living room, finding her phone on the edge of the coffee table, its notification light slowly blinking, meaning there was a text message waiting for her to read.

“Oh, no…” Sora said, staring at her phone, each step with foreboding as she walked back to the dining table. “I have a text.”

Feeling as though she was taking the plunge as she sat back down in her chair, she pushed the button on her phone, which lit up the screen to reveal that the text was, in fact, from Tai.

“You were most likely asleep by the time he sent you a message back,” said Izzy.

Sora opened Tai’s message and read it aloud.

“ _‘How are you feeling, Noir-ior princess?’_ \- What?!”

She brought her forehead to the table, suddenly overtaken by laughter. Mimi joined in with her.

“You were adamant that he called you by that name,” Izzy said.

“I bet he totally got a kick out of that,” added Mimi.

Sora continued laughing, but wanted to hit her forehead repeatedly against the tabletop. She couldn’t believe she let her drunken self get into a predicament she could have easily avoided. Without lifting her head, she raised the phone and handed it over to Izzy.

“Text him back,” she requested wearily. “Tell him I’m okay. In first person.”

“...Precisely how you asked me to do it before,” said Izzy, without protest.

“Don’t you want to know what you got Izzy to send him?” Mimi asked.

“No,” Sora said.

“Well, I do.”

Sora lifted her head up to watch Mimi climb out of her chair to sit against the arm of Izzy’s dining chair as he tapped a message into her phone. When he finished, Mimi took the phone from his hands and swiped her finger down on the screen to view the past messages.

“So _that’s_ why there were plastic containers in the trash can!” Mimi said as she browsed through the messages. “We ordered takeout ramen.”

 _No wonder I tasted that earlier_ , Sora thought to herself as she rested her forehead down again and closed her eyes.

“Izzy, these texts are a bit over the top, even for you,” Mimi continued.

“I'll admit, I was more extraneous than I normally am,” he replied. “It was incredibly entertaining.”

“Sora,” said Mimi then. “You have Tai’s credit card?”

Sora opened her eyes to the realization.

“Shit,” she muttered.

“You said that last night, too, when you checked your wallet to pay for the ramen,” said Izzy. “It was louder, and much more dramatic.”

“I can imagine, Izzy,” Sora replied with a groan.

Mimi giggled. “That’s how your texts to him started. You told him you were upset that you still had his credit card, and that you were planning on giving it back.”

Sora let out a soft whine. “What else did I tell him?”

“Don’t worry, Sora. You didn’t say anything incriminating. You did seem a bit flirtatious, though, but Izzy did a great job pulling off the Sora-charm.”

“I did my best,” said Izzy.

“As usual.”

Sora raised her head and sat all the way up, deciding to remove herself from her gloom. She turned to Mimi and Izzy, who were quietly muttering things back and forth before Mimi gave him a peck on his lips. It was those little moments she saw them the happiest, and it made her happy, too.

But it made her miss having that small happiness of her own.

A sound from Sora’s phone interrupted Mimi and Izzy’s kiss, and Mimi looked at the screen.

“He’s asking when he should be expecting to see you,” Mimi said.

 _“No,”_ uttered Sora. “I’m not going out of my way to give it back. I was going to get Izzy or even Matt to get it to him.”

“That’s not the impression you gave.”

“It’s certainly not how you made me text it, anyway,” added Izzy.

Sighing, Sora held out her hand for Mimi to give her phone to her. When it was in her hands, she scrolled to the top of the message window to finally read the conversation:

 

**_Sora:_ ** _It has come to my disconcerting attention that I have somehow acquired your credit card!!! I demand that it be removed from my possession!!!!!_

 

Sora looked up from her phone to Izzy with a scowl. “Did I ask you to include all of these exclamation points?” she asked.

“You told me to be excessive,” Izzy said.

 

**_Tai:_ ** _Who are you? What did you do to Sora? And why do you sound like Izzy?_

**_Sora:_ ** _We have a serious matter at hand here, Yagami Taichi. I expected you to be aware of how capable I am with managing on my own. Your gesture was outright disrespectful!_

**_Tai:_ ** _Geez, relax, Sora. (Seriously. Izzy???) I offered to pay for your cab ride, remember?_

**_Sora:_ ** _If I maintained full comprehension of the current situation-_

 

Sora knew exactly what she said here, even if she didn’t remember saying it. “ _‘If I had half a mind right now’_ \- Seriously, Izzy?”

“You said you were going to tell me what to say, and then asked me to ‘translate into Izzy-speak’.”

She let out an exasperated sigh.

 

**_Sora:_ ** _If I maintained full comprehension of the current situation, I would have concluded that your gesture was with intent to meet me again._

**_Tai:_ ** _...So, you caught me._

 

Sora felt heat rising in her cheeks as her eyes stopped there. The next message steered completely into a different topic. Then, she noticed the timestamp between the last message and the next.

“Izzy, why was there a long pause between these messages?”

“You and Mimi couldn’t stop giggling.”

 

**_Sora:_ ** _The ramen has been ordered and vigorously consumed. Mimi and the Noir-ior princess apologize deeply for laughing with extravagance throughout our pleasant evening._

**_Tai:_ ** _Noir-ior princess. It has a nice ring to it._

**_Tai:_ ** _You don’t have to apologize. You girls never fail to amuse me. I’m still laughing at this. And where’s MY ramen?_

**_Sora:_ ** _The Noir-ior princess agrees with your sentiment to meet with her. Mayhaps an appearance in your workplace may be the most convenient. Of course, whether or not there are conflicting appointments for you to consider._

**_Tai:_ ** _Izzy, now you sound like the guy who speaks on behalf of royalty._

**_Sora:_ ** _I AM royalty, Tai._

**_Tai:_ ** _Of course you are. As you wish, milady!_

 

“Mimi grabbed the phone from me toward the end,” said Izzy.

“For what it’s worth, Sora, you _are_ royalty,” Mimi said.

“Who now has to give his card back to him,” added Sora, now covering her face in her hands. “At his job. I don’t believe this.”

“It won’t be so bad, Sora,” Mimi said with sympathy. “You'll see him at work. It's not like he’d want to hook up with you at his workplace.”

“Mimi!” Sora said, blushing through her hands.

“There truly is no harm in seeing him, Sora,” said Izzy. “If you want to maintain a friendship with him, it would be nice to show that you're making the effort.”

“Because, that’s what you want, after all, right?” Mimi asked. “That’s what you told me and Izzy yesterday. That’s what you agreed on when you first broke up, and then what it seemed like when you last saw each other. You and Tai were keeping your distance all evening, but the way you looked at each other…”

Sora sighed, dropping her hands from her face. “Friends, and nothing more,” she said, but making a face when she said it.

“You better tell him that, and be clear. You don’t want to keep repeating a breakup over and over.”

Mimi was right. And so was Izzy. Sora always confided in them both, and with Izzy especially when he and Mimi grew serious about each other. Mimi never divulged anything to the other friends about Sora, most of the time, but Izzy proved himself to be a good man of confidence.

Still, after Sora left Izzy and Mimi’s that morning, she decided to avoid returning Tai’s message for as long as she possibly could. She returned to her one-bedroom apartment two train rides away. As she stepped in, she looked around the small living room before her, observing the clutter that she let scatter throughout the week. After setting her beanie, scarf, and jacket onto the coat hanger by the door, throwing her bag onto the couch, and turning the heater on, she set her new focus to tidying up.

Sora enjoyed living alone. She split rent on a two-bed apartment with Matt and Tai during the latter half of their uni days, but she liked having the quiet space to herself to let her thoughts gather and untangle, or to just let them clear from her mind.

Friends still visited her, though not as often as they used to. She still saw Mimi regularly due to the wedding preparations, and Joe came around once in a while just to chat, but as the quiet settled in, she often thought back to hearing random chatter and laughter between Matt and Tai through the walls, which annoyed her. Then, when she walked out to scold Tai mostly, she ended up joining them.

By the time her mind drifted from the jovial conversations to the eventual shouting matches, she had the vacuum plugged in and turned on, and she let its loud whirring drown out those memories.

Besides that, she had seen her fair share of strife and drama among her friends - TK and Kari’s huge fight that caused a rift between Matt and Tai for a while; Mimi’s mourning periods after her last few breakups. She adored her friends to death, and would jump on the next train to get to them at any moment’s notice, but she was content to be far away enough to feel the emotional stress. Especially as she lived from paycheck to paycheck with her current job, living alone was more than she could bargain for.

It took Sora most of the day to clean, and Sunday rolled around before she knew it. She went for a jog in the morning, then curled up on the couch with a blanket and got sucked into a book.

Halfway through the book, she realized that it was already afternoon. Still dreading the text message response, she picked up her phone to read new messages. Mimi sent her pictures from the hair and makeup trial run and asked which look was best. The only other message was from Matt, however she scowled at his words:

_‘Greetings, O, great Noir-ior Princess. ;)’_

She responded to Mimi’s message, but ignored Matt’s.

It wasn’t until Monday morning on the train ride to work when Sora finally responded to Tai, saying that she would visit him during her lunch break. Before she knew it, she was in the building three buildings away from hers. She stepped into the elevator alone, hitting the button for the 25th floor. The elevator was slow to move, making odd grinding and creaking noises as it lifted her up. She never visited Tai at his workplace before, but she remembered dreaming about it once. She kept it to herself, except maybe indulging Mimi one day.

In the dream, Sora waltzed into Tai’s office, seeing him at his desk centered in the large room. He wore a light blue long sleeve dress shirt and a dark tie to match. It was still summertime, so she happily wore her sleeveless blouse and jersey skirt with her short heels. She locked the door behind her, and when looked up from his paperwork, he looked stressed, though his eyes lit up as soon as he saw her in the room. He went back to looking down to study the papers in front of him in silence. It was one of the few times she understood that he was focusing, similar to when he studied for his tests in university. But in this dream, she hoped her visit would entice him to take a break.

“I've been expecting you,” Tai said greeting her with a smile and kiss. “I just have to finish this report.”

She leaned over as she stood behind his chair, draping her arms around his neck and looking at the report with him as he scribbled on the pages. “When's it due, Tai?” she asked.

“Midday tomorrow.”

“You've got time, then.”

She started trailing her fingers where his scalp met his skin. His eyes were still on his paper, but he reacted with a chuckle.

“Hah. That tickles.”

Her hands travelled to the top of his shoulders, squeezing them to loosen his knots. Then, she went on to loosen his tie and unbutton the collar of his shirt, so that she could kiss his neck. She heard him laugh, but then felt the goosebumps forming on his neck as her lips pressed against it.

“Sora,” he said in a soft whisper, and Sora felt goosebumps of her own. Tai no longer stared at the page in front of him, but his head turned toward her. She went around the chair to take a seat on his lap, where he held her around her waist.

“I should've waited for you outside,” she said, giving him a smile with her face so close to his.

“Eh…” Tai scrunched his face mockingly as he pretended to think about it. He then threw his pen up behind him, letting it fly across the room. “I couldn’t have waited, either way.”

Sora laughed as he finally pulled her close for a kiss, his hand grasping her hair as he held her. She pushed herself against him, breathing in slow as she took in his soft lips against hers. Chills crept up her spine every time she parted with his lips, only for him to draw her back in.  She couldn’t stop herself from giggling as she felt his hand on her waist move up and down along her leg.

It was then Tai broke off their kiss, just for a moment, as his gaze fell on her. She stared back in admiration, but it was long enough for her to start questioning his thoughts. Before she could ask, he lifted her up carrying her with his arms, catching her off guard, and sat her on top of his desk, her legs hanging on the edge.

“Tai,” she said, laughing through her surprise as he stood in front of her and pushed the contents of his desktop aside. “What are you doing?”

“Giving you what you want, Sora,” he replied with a sly smile, and she smirked back.

“Hurry up, then,” she said, bringing his face to her with her hands on his chin. His hands were on either side of her knees spread out, and he moved them up her bare thighs underneath her skirt as he drew closer to her for another kiss. Before she knew it, their arms snaked around each other as they held each other, and he pushed himself into her, her head falling back as she let out a soft gasp...

“Ma’am?”

The elevator door had opened, and a young woman appeared before her, watching her curiously.

“Oh…” Sora said, blinking away her dream. She stepped out of the elevator that opened up to a reception desk, where the young woman sat. Sora looked at her as she approached the desk, seeing the young woman stand up from her chair. Her hair was neatly tied up in a bun, her outfit formal, save for the short skirt. Her heavy makeup and youthful appearance made her look about ten years younger than Sora did.

_Why the hell is she calling me ‘Ma’am’?_

“I’m here for Yagami Taichi,” Sora told her, and the woman smiled, though with her judging eyes.

“That man is really something, huh?” she said. “You’re not the first lady who has stopped by for him.”

Sora kept her lips tight. She did not like this girl.

“He’s just around the corner,” she continued with bright eyes. “Follow me.”

She let out a girlish giggle, and left her desk. Feeling a sense of discomfort, Sora straightened her hair with her fingers and adjusted her own outfit, and followed the woman to Tai’s office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some cozy Koumi and some steamy Taiora for you this fine, chilly Sunday.
> 
> Thanks for reading. Go be like Sora and cozy up on the couch with a blanket ~~and read more from the library of NoctIsFishing~~
> 
> Stay warm. <3


	6. [settling in just fine]

As Sora followed the girl into Tai's office, she saw Tai at his desk, with a pen in his mouth, appearing deep in thought as he swiveled to and fro in his chair. He didn't seem to notice that anyone had walked in, at least, not right away.

"Wait here, Ma'am," said the girl, and Sora's eyes narrowed at the back of the girl's head when she walked hurriedly from the door to his desk, her heels clicking with each step. Tai appeared to snap out of his thoughts when the girl stood next to his chair, bending down to speak to him. Then, Tai glanced at Sora, finally noticing her, and gave her a smile, but it quickly went away as the girl continued to talk in her low voice.

Tai's desk was centered in a large room, and behind his desk were a long set of drawers and a bookshelf that had some books, but more-so decorated with a few of his soccer trophies, and, surprisingly to Sora, a leafy potted plant. Not surprising, though, was the scatter of papers all over his desk and around his desktop computer on the side. There was a large window which she could tell had a nice view from where she stood.

Sora tried to observe the surroundings of Tai's office enough to ridicule his design choice, but she couldn't keep her attention away from the fact that had Tai suddenly burst into laughter and exchanged words with a smiling assistant next to him.

Was he  _flirting?_

"I'll have that done for you in an hour," said the girl, her posture straight but her hips swaying from side-to-side as she walked away from his desk, side-glancing at Sora as she passed her and closed the door behind her.

Sora  _really_ didn't like her.

"Why are you standing all the way over there?" Tai asked then.

"I was told to wait here," Sora replied with a grimace.

"Don't be a stranger." He motioned his hand for her to come closer. As she approached his desk, he grabbed a drinking glass and filled water from the cooler next to the bookshelf. He held it in front of her with a smile, gesturing her to take it.

"You finally showed up," he said as she lifted the glass to her lips. "I've been expecting you."

Sora nearly spit the water at his comment, and tried to hide the sputter. She took a few sips and casually lowered her glass, but Tai laughed, and she knew that he saw everything.

"You okay, Sora?"

She cleared her throat. "I guess this is all new to me," she decided to say, stiffly. "I've never visited you in your own office before."

"Well, it's a long way from having a desk in a small cubicle," he said. "This is my third week in this office. I'm trying to settle in, I guess."

The flirting was still fresh on her mind. So was the comment about her not being the 'first lady' to visit him. "It seems like you've been settling in just fine, Tai."

"That doesn't sound judgmental at all, Sora." Tai leaned against the side of his desk, putting his hands in his pant pockets, but his lips were slightly curled upward. "Did my assistant say something to you?"

Sora blinked. "What makes you think she had anything to do with this?"

Just then, the door behind them opened, and the assistant peered in. "You have a call from downstairs," she said. "Maku-san."

"Tell him I have a visitor," Tai said, waving her away.

Sora watched as the assistant disappeared behind the door, and then she heard Tai snickering.

"What's so funny?" Sora asked, turning to look back at him with a face.

"Nothing. I'm glad you could show up. It's just nice to see a friendly face this time of the day."

To Sora, that sounded like something he decided to say in return.

"I'm just here to give you your card back," she said plainly.

"Aww, really?" Tai lifted himself from his desk and looked around his office. "You're not going to comment on anything?" He went over to his bookshelf and started pointing. "The trophies are from high school, and this one up top, it looks like a pro would have won this, but no one's going to read the labels anyway - it's from when we were in grade school. Don't tell me you didn't notice."

Sora continued to sip her water, but was already feeling her lips forming a smile.

"And, I bet you were wondering about the plant, and how I'm so awesome at taking care of it," he went on. "Of course, I would be for this one. It's fake."

That was when Sora lost it, and she was glad the glass was away from her mouth when she reduced into a fit of laughter. Even in his business attire, Tai always found a way to make her laugh.

"Yagami Taichi, always here for show," she said.

"Gotta make myself look good," he replied, his grin meeting his bright brown eyes.

 _You always look good_ , she thought, staring into them.

"Check this out," he said then. "You'll get a kick out of the view."

Sora followed him to the large window, and her breath was taken away from the sight. From the 25th floor, Tai's office overlooked the whole business sector of Tokyo, with skyscrapers of different heights, underneath the large, endless sky. She could stand there all day, if Tai let her.

"This is incredible," said Sora. "It must be beautiful at night, when all the lights are on."

"It's absolutely gorgeous," said Tai. "I'd want to open the window up here, too, if I could."

Sora glowered at him. "And bring in all the cold from outside? I'd never want to visit."

"Sure, you wouldn't."

They stood next to each other for a while, as Sora stared, captivated by the sight. This was a moment where she'd move to hold his arm and lean against him. She would then kiss his cheek and he would kiss the top of her head.

Of course, it wasn't that way between them anymore. Realizing this, Sora became less captivated and more aware that she was still standing next to Tai - the two of them, alone, in his office.

Sora took another sip of her water and looked over to Tai, who was still looking out, his hands in his pockets again, but he appeared lost in thought.

"So, Mimi told me you're thinking of moving back to Japan?" Sora asked, and Tai looked over to her, looking surprised, at first.

"Ah, Kari must have told her," he said, once he realized. "I am. I found a nice house for rent, not too far from here. Joe, Izzy, and Matt helped me move in this past weekend."

 _That's why he texted me!_ Sora thought, but continued to listen to Tai.

"I'll be working in this office for a couple of months, and I'm waiting on a job the company might be offering soon."

"And, if that falls through…?"

"Then, who knows, maybe back to China for me. Or-" Tai eyed the door, as though he made sure no one else would come in, but his voice still lowered. "I could find other work out here."

"I see," Sora said.

"It's hard, though, Sora," he said with a sigh. He walked away from the window. "Beijing's great. There's always something to do out there. The culture is wonderful. The food - I can't even begin to talk about how great it is. Even the soccer's not so bad. You might even like it there," he added as he stopped and turned to her with a small smile. She smiled back as she listened to him, glass of water still in her hand. "But, when's the last time I even saw anyone before coming back, you know? No one close to me is out there - no friends, no family. Who has time to visit when we're so far away? Plus, with Kari getting knocked up, I know the fam's going to need an extra hand-"

Sora nearly dropped the glass in her hand, but the loud swish of the water was enough for Tai to pause.

"Kari's pregnant?!" she asked in shock, and that was when Tai divulged even more.

"Tell me about it! She's been hiding it for two months already, and the moment she saw me, she burst into tears. The 'rents are freaking out, I already gave her and the dimwit that did her a  _really good_ talking to-"

Sora moved closer, eager to listen to him more. "Davis?" she asked, and Tai nodded firmly.

"They're crazy about each other, though. Davis told me he was already thinking about marrying her…"

"Well, that's great, right? He's a good kid, and you like him."

"Yeah. I'm not too worried about that."

Tai had sat on the edge of his desk again, and Sora noticed that his fervor from his conversation had suddenly dissipated.

"Tai?" She searched his face, and he was lost in thought again. It started to worry her. "Are you worried about anything else?

"Hmm?" he asked, looking up at her. "Oh, no…"

His words drifted, which didn't convince her at all.

"But, I mean, other than that," he continued, "all my friends are here, too. I could be thriving in a different country, but it's hard when all the people I know are from my job. It was bad enough missing out on being Izzy's best man. Trust Yamacchi to take that in my place."

"Yamacchi?" Sora giggled at the name, remembering Matt's reaction the last time. "Don't catch him calling you that."

"You know I've learned my lesson."

Sora witnessed it, back at university, after she revealed to Tai her new nickname for Matt. He had already been embarrassed by Sora calling him that, but the moment Tai mentioned it, Tai suddenly found his neck surrounded by Matt's arm, and his fist grinding against his head. That was when Tai found out that Matt was stronger than he appeared.

She recognized that they were now both smiling at the memory, but Tai's smile looked sadder. She knew him to be carefree, running wherever the wind took him, no matter how crazy the idea sounded. Beijing was one of them.

But she also realized just how much he missed being in Japan, being with his family, his friends - everyone he was close to, and she saw it in the sadness in his eyes. He had been confiding to her, just like he felt comfortable doing many times before; and in her good nature, she listened to whatever he needed to sound off, so she could give back the advice she felt he needed to hear.

"Listen, Tai," Sora said, taking a seat in his computer chair and facing him. "I'm sure Beijing might have its ups and downs for you, but if you decide to go back, everyone will still be here for you, but we'll support everything you do. And, Matt's been a wonderful best man, but I know Izzy was really bummed out at first when he knew you couldn't do it. I'm sure he'll be happy if you decide to stay here. We'll all be."

"You think so?" he asked, and she scooted her chair closer to him to put her hand over his in comfort.

"I  _know_ so, Tai. And hey, if you need any help with Kari and Davis, let me know, okay?"

She watched his face, waiting for him as he thought over her words, and when he met her eyes, he was smiling again, and she felt warmth between them.

"Okay. Thanks, Sora."

For whatever reason, just then, Sora's heart skipped a beat.

She looked down at her hand over his, realizing that their palms were against each other's. The warmth - was it her cheeks? The beats were getting faster as she looked up at him, his hand feeling tighter on hers, her chair sliding forward, his face leaning closer -

_Knock, knock, knock._

Sora looked up at Tai, both of them blinking at each other. They turned their heads to look at the opening door, seeing another guy walk in, dressed in a suit. He looked around their age, and wore a look of curiosity on his face.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

One glance at Tai, then Sora let go of his hand and swung the chair around to avoid either him or the new guy see her blushing furiously.

"Come on in, Kaz," said Tai, who had stood up and walked over to the guy.

"I heard you had a visitor, so I thought I'd pay a visit myself."

She heard Tai laughing loudly with him, then she swung her chair to see he was greeting this Kaz with a variation of his handshake greeting.

Just then, the assistant opened the door yet again.

"Tai, Sakamoto-san is on the line."

Tai and his buddy's faces grew serious.

"Ah - I need to take that," said Tai. Noting the flashing red light on the desk phone and Tai's quick squander to his desk, Sora jumped out of the chair to give way. "Sorry, Sora," he added.

As she walked away, she paid attention to Tai's demeanor on the phone. It fascinated her, listening to his deep, assertive voice while still sounding laid-back.

"Too cold for your liking?"

Sora stopped and looked to see Tai's acquaintance in front of her. He had short, light brown, spiky hair, and he was a little taller than Tai was, but probably just as lean.

He definitely noticed the coat she wore over her outfit, the fluffy yellow scarf around her neck and the matching beret on her head.

"I'm not a fan," she replied, and he smiled.

"I could tell. You must be Sora. Tai told me about you."

"Did he?" Sora glanced over at Tai, his hand holding his phone up to his ear, his face serious but nodding as he listened. She thought back to what Matt said, that Tai asked about her. Just how much did he talk about her?

"I'm Kaze. Makuro Kaze."

Sora shook his hand with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Hey," Kaze lowered his voice to a hush, leaning closer. "Has Tai told you about Happy Hour Wednesdays?"

"He hasn't."

"There's a bar a few of us go to on the other side of town. It's like a mid-week cool down for workaholics like us. Anyone's invited. You should come along."

"I'll think about it," was her immediate answer, as opposed to her other one, the definite, "Yes." With this answer, the other party would back off from asking her again so that she could take time to eventually say she'd go, or just decline completely.

For this invite, she was really going to think about it.

"You can bring any of your work friends along, too. Tai told me where you worked. I know you  _fashionistas_ need a break too."

Sora giggled, though she was looking in another direction. "You got that right."

Tai was still on his call. This guy Kaze was still running his mouth about something or other to her, and she nodded and reacted after each of his pauses, just to be polite.

"You know, I really should get back to my desk," he said. "It was really nice to meet you. See you at Happy Hour. Maybe, I'll buy you a drink."

"I'll buy my own drink-" she said reactively, but caught herself saying it mid-sentence. She looked at him, noticing how green his eyes were as he stared back with a small smile that made him look all the more pleasing before he walked out.

_What was that?_

She hadn't had to use that line since her early days of her single life before she got together with Tai. It was one of her lines, the one she used to shoot down a guy's pickup. Some guys simply walked away after she shot them down. Some pestered her with more failed attempts at conversation. Some had their wits about them, and actually got her to laugh.

Some, like Tai, tried to be slick, letting their conversation run naturally until they were at the point where they were ready to leave the bar. When she asked for her tab, he cut her off, saying the drinks were all on his. They fell into an argument, but it was also at that point, when they both had enough drinks in their systems, where they included laughter in their attacking words against each other, and Sora leaning over the bar table, holding her credit card in front of the confused bartender's face to block Tai, who struggled to hand his own credit card to-

Tai's credit card.

She had forgotten all about it.

But it was at that moment she heard the click of the desk phone. When she walked over to his desk, she noticed he whipped his cell phone out and tapped on it quickly before his attention returned to her.

"Kaz didn't bother you, did he?" Tai asked, and Sora gave him a funny stare. Why was he being protective of her, and why was still thinking about what happened with the assistant?

"Your assistant didn - Kaze was harmless, Tai," she stammered. "He invited me to Happy Hour on Wednesday, though."

The movement in his swinging chair came to a complete stop.

"He invited you?"

Sora shrugged.

Tai sat up in his chair. "You don't have to go, you know. If you don't want to. I wasn't sure if you'd want to, anyway, I mean, you'd be hanging out with me."

"Why would I not want…" Sora's thoughts trailed, realizing that, as her gaze met his, all her efforts she made avoiding him. Not even during the past week, but especially after the breakup, and even as he had gone overseas. Gathering what her friends thought, what Matt said, and even looking at Tai now, as he gave her a small smile of understanding, she started feeling guilty for avoiding him all that time.

"I'll go," she said.

Tai's brows furrowed. "...You will?"

"Why not? It'll be a good break for me. I'll bring some work buddies along, too." She smiled, and started digging her hand into her purse. "Plus, it'll be great to hang out, Tai. As friends, of course."

Before he could respond, her fingers stopped at the card she found in her purse. She held it out over her head, then tapped it over Tai's forehead.

"Ow!" he said, scrunching his face and making her laugh again.

"Your card, before I forget. That was for annoying me with this." She let it fall from his forehead into his hands. "Don't even think about buying me a drink, Tai."

"We'll see about that,  _milady_."

She looked at him with a feigned glare, but neither of them could hold in their giggles.

As she turned to leave the desk, Tai let out a snort, and Sora noticed he was looking at his phone.

"Matt texted me back. He said that I'm an asshole."

Sora paused to think. "You called him his nickname, didn't you?"

Tai grinned at her, and Sora smiled and shook her head before she waved goodbye to him and left his office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bam!! Surprise Daikari!  
> This will be a minor pairing.  
> Thanks for reading, y'all. Happy Hour's up next ~~
> 
> Stay warm <3


	7. [wish it were warmer]

At the end of Sora's work day on Wednesday, Sora picked up the phone to answer Mimi's call.

"Soraaa," Mimi said in a sing-songy voice. "I've got another apple pie waiting just for youuu! Just need you to bring over some ice cream, and you'll have the best night of your life!"

"Oh, Mimi," Sora said with a chuckle. "One pie, out of how many?"

Mimi groaned. " _Seven,_ Sora! I haven't heard back from  _anyone!_ And I called about the wedding dress - they said they had to ship it to another seamstress because the first one was fired for some reason! I really can't stand any of this waiting… Plus, I was hoping you'd come over anyway. We've been out of ice cream, and I really want to have it with the pie..."

Sora stood at the subway station platform, waiting for the next train to arrive. For a split second, she was tempted to back away and head to a different platform - the one that would lead to Mimi's. But, she told herself she shouldn't, and she figured it would be a good time to tell Mimi, anyway.

"As much as I'm extremely tempted, Meems, I can't tonight," Sora said. "I've been invited to a happy hour."

Mimi gasped loudly. "A happy hour?! Takenouchi Sora, finally deciding to put herself out there?"

Sora rolled her eyes, anticipating Mimi's reaction. "It's not like that, Mimi. I told you, I can't handle any distractions right now. I'm going with Aki-chan, and it'll be a great chance to unwind."

"Oh? Well, did Aki-chan invite you, Sora?"

"No, it was actually-"

Sora caught herself, realizing her words might be turning against her. "It was...a guy. In Tai's building."

Mimi fell silent for a few moments.

"A guy, Sora?" she asked.

"Mm-hmm. That's right."

Sora sensed it coming - Mimi's reaction to Sora's response. She sensed it coming way faster than the train she waited for. As expected, Mimi squealed with excitement, and then let her questions run free.

"Mimi, don't do that…"

Mimi gushed. "This is great, Sora! I am totally excited! He probably was a looker if you accepted his invitation! Describe him to me - How cute is he? Was he tall? Oh, and he was in his businessman suit, I bet - I know you have a thing for that, Sora! You have to tell me how it goes - Wait-"

When Mimi paused, Sora knew it wouldn't be long before it clicked in Mimi's head.

"You said Tai's building, didn't you?" Mimi asked, finally pausing to wait for Sora's response.

"I did, Mimi."

"So, Tai's going to be there?"

"Yeah, I'll see him there."

"Okay…"

The train finally arrived, and even as she took in the atmosphere of walking through the doors and low chatter of passengers surrounding her, she could feel the looming air of uncertainty on Mimi's end of the call.

"Friends, right?" Mimi asked.

Sora sighed. "Yes, Mimi, friends," she said.

"Okay."

Mimi fell silent again, but this time, Sora couldn't tell what Mimi was thinking. It was only after another second went by and Mimi squealed again.

"You're going to a happy hour!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, Mimi…" Sora said, laughing now.

Soon, Sora arrived at the bar, and saw her coworker, Aki, standing in the front at the curb, looking down at her phone, leaning against one leg as she stood. She was just a tad taller than Sora, with layers of long, dark hair tipped with curls of purple and lilac. Her eye makeup was bold and vibrant, and it complemented her dark, vampy lipstick. She wore a small black leather jacket fit for her petite frame, and skinny jeans that went into her purple high heels.

"You're always such a cute, little eskimo," Aki said as she glanced at Sora, noting the faux fur parka she wore, topped with her wrapped scarf and beanie.

Sora smiled. "You know I wish it were warmer," she said.

They exchanged a kiss on either sides of their cheeks, and they walked into the bar together, checking in their coats and accessories at the coat check room. Sora knew how warm it could get in a packed bar, so she dressed for the day in a cream-colored high neck sleeveless top and dark pants to match. Her own makeup was a full of brown and pink shade blends on her eyes, and a soft pink gloss on her lips.

"Sexy," Aki said with a low whistle. She turned her jacket in, revealing her dark red spaghetti strap top that fit her lean waist over her jeans.

"Look who's talking," said Sora, admiring her outfit and physique.

"Come on, babe, we need some drinks in us." Aki took Sora by the hand. Together they weaved their way past the loud chatter of the full tables and booths toward the bar, and found a high table, where they both sat on top of bar stools. Sora looked around, taking note of the dim lighting, but the walls in plain walls of white, though lined with fluorescent blue lighting.

The bartender showed up at their table and greeted them, handing them glasses of water and a list of the beers on tap along with the happy hour prices.

"Ugh, pumpkin lager?" Sora stuck her tongue out in disgust. Aki laughed aloud.

"I bet you haven't even tried it," she said.

"Believe me, Aki, I have."

Sora remembered the night Izzy brought home a pack of pumpkin ale for Mimi, who hated beer, but was a sucker for anything pumpkin-flavored. It was a sweet gesture, but, to no one's surprise, Mimi hated it. Everyone disagreed with the idea to waste alcohol, so it was up to Sora, Tai, Matt, Joe to help Izzy drink off the ale that night. It only fueled for her dislike of the flavor.

"Well, as long as you drink at least  _something_ with me tonight," said Aki. "Work has been killer this month! I've been slaving over that portfolio - I can't believe we have to present our own themes and designs next week!"

"It's getting so close, isn't it?" Sora asked, sipping water through her straw. She thought back to the colored sketches in her leather-bound book sitting in her desk drawer, feeling relieved that she only had one more design to edit.

Aki watched Sora and stared in awe. "I hate you so much. I'm so jealous at how calm you are about this promotion! Haru-sensei probably already has one of those spots with your name on it."

"Aki, that is  _so_ not true." Sora laughed with Aki.

"You work really well under pressure, Sora. You know how the fashion world can get - it can get pretty cutthroat, and you could crumble if you don't watch yourself. And I'm sure Dora-senpai would agree with me and everyone else. You've got what it takes."

"Thanks, Aki," Sora said with a smile. "Don't sell yourself short either!"

"Oh, don't you worry, I've got my ways to get ahead," Aki replied with a smile. Sora couldn't tell whether she was joking or not.

"Ready for drinks, lovely ladies?" said a voice in front of their table.

"Oh, I'm not ready yet," said Sora. "Aki, what about-"

Sora had stopped in her chair, realizing she had just answered Tai's question, Tai, who now stood in front of her, holding his own list of the happy hour beers. His shirt sleeves were rolled up, and his tie was loosened around his neck. His smile was his simple, friendly greeting.

Sora was glad the lights were dim to hide the raging blush appearing on her cheeks.

"I'm Taichi," he looked over to Aki, holding out his hand.

"Mmm," she said lifting her hand to hold his. "Akiko. 'Aki' for short."

"Pleasure," he said as they shook hands, then looked over to Sora. "Did you want a drink? Pumpkin lager, maybe?"

"I'll get the IPA, Taichi," she said, smiling. He smiled back, as though he was glad she remembered their memory.

"Hey, I'd like a pilsner, if you don't mind," Aki said.

"Coming right up," he said, glancing at Sora before he left their table.

"Girl," Aki said, smacking her palm on the table top, gaping at Sora. "Who. Is. That. Hottie?"

Sora let out a laugh. "That's Taichi."

"Can I say,  _'Yum'?_ " Tell me deets, girl. How do you know him? He totally looks your type. What's going on between you two?"

Sora scoffed at her. "Nothing, Aki. Nothing's going on."

"Are you sure about that?"

Aki turned to the bar, where Tai stood, and Sora followed suit, seeing him lean against the bar counter against his elbow. He was waiting, but he was looking in their direction. And Sora noticed, Aki had been eyeing him.

"Positive." Sora turned away, looking upward, sipping more of her water.

"Alright, then," she said, and Sora heard the scraping of Aki's bar stool against the ground. "I'll be right back."

Sora looked to her, seeing her leave her chair and the table. Not only was Aki walking away, but she was walking toward the bar. Toward him.

"Aki!" Sora called, wanting her to stop. "This night was supposed to be about you and me!"

Aki chuckled. "Chill out, Sora," she said. "You know I'm always on the prowl. As for you, haven't you noticed how many heads turned when we passed through?"

"They were for you."

"I wasn't the only one passing by, Sora. Besides, you won't be left alone for too long, either way."

Sora sighed, pressing her lips together and sitting up straight in her chair. Aki, being the prettier one between the two of them, asking her multiple questions at once, unashamedly admitting that she was boy-crazy - it was amazing to Sora how she found another Mimi in the form of her coworker. Mimi had done this to her too, a few times before - intending a girls' night at a bar, only to leave her when she caught herself in a male gaze.

Except this time, it was Aki that left her. And the male gaze was Tai's.

"Isn't this supposed to be 'happy' hour?" a new voice said nearby, and Sora snapped out of her daze. Kaze had appeared, sitting in the chair Aki left. He set two glasses of beer on the table - one glass half empty with a chocolate-colored liquid, the other filled to the frothy top, liquid in the color of caramel. "Tai told me to give this to you. He's kind of 'occupied', as you can see."

She didn't want to see.

"So, an IPA, huh?" Kaze asked.

"It's my safest best at social events," Sora replied, trying to detract her attention. "I don't want anything too light, and something like a dark stout is too bitter for my taste. This can give me the buzz I want without making too much of a fool of myself."

Her words made Kaze laugh. "A woman who knows her beer. I like it."

"You can blame my ex-boyfriend for that."

"I'm sure we can blame our exes for a lot of things."

Sora looked at Kaze, and laughed.

"Now I see it," he said. "'Happy' hour."

Kaze. He was funny, Sora thought. But also, a little cheesy. She found herself talking to him for a while, conversing back and forth about the chic aesthetic of the bar, and what other kind of beers Sora knew about.

"You're not in your trademark winter wardrobe," Kaze said then, eyeing her shirt.

"Thank goodness," Sora replied, setting down the water cup she was still drinking from. "Autumn is one thing. Forget about winter, it's just all too…"

Her eyes drifted toward the bar. Tai sat at the bar counter, Aki next to him. They sat close to each other, Aki's body almost off of her own stool and on his. Tai was looking down, but Aki's face hidden behind his, her lips moving as she talked against his ear, and a smile forming on his lips that Sora knew all too well.

"...cold," Sora finished.

She had been trying to ignore it, but she finally acknowledged the chilly air against her bare shoulders and arms. The glass full of the IPA sat in front of her, untouched. Maybe downing the glass would warm her up, but she wasn't in the mood for alcohol, after all.

"I think I'm gonna head out," Sora said, hopping out of her chair.

"Aw, really?" Kaze said. "Only one hour in? You didn't even touch your drink."

"You can have it," she said, adjusting her top as she stood.

"At least let me have your number, too."

Kaze held out his phone, his green eyes bright against his pale skin and light brown hair, watching, waiting. She really had been at the bar for only an hour, she realized, but Kaze hadn't talked to her until halfway. Maybe he was the one Aki referred to before. He seemed like a goofy, easy-going guy, and she liked his company for that short time they talked.

Maybe she needed to start fitting distractions in her life.

Sora took his phone, punching her number in.

"Sora," he said. "Like the sky."

She rolled her eyes at him but not without smiling as she walked away from the table. Before she left, she went straight to the bar, avoiding Tai and Aki, She hailed the bartender, who had just set down a clean, newly washed glass.

"I just want to pay for my IPA," she told him.

"Oh, don't worry about that," said the bartender. "It's an open tab for Taichi's party."

Sora's eyes narrowed. How could he have known she was part of Tai's tab? The place may have been crowded, but there couldn't have possibly been that many people Tai was paying for. She could only conclude that Tai was still trying to pay for her, yet again.

Irritated, Sora slapped a 1000 yen banknote against the table. "Consider this as your tip," she said, rendering the bartender confused and at a loss for words as she walked away.

"I hope the dark clouds blow away from your sky, Sora!" Kaze called to her as she passed his table, and he smiled and raised the IPA to her.

After she grabbed her things from the coat check, covering herself and exiting the bar, Sora wondered what to do before heading back home. It wasn't too late in the evening, and but she decided to leave Mimi and Izzy alone.

An idea popped into her head then, and she held her phone in front of her to message him. Alcohol was a bust for tonight, but what she wanted was a warmer drink, and she knew who she wanted to share it with. She hadn't seen him in a while, and he might have just gotten out of a lecture, or was deep into reading or studying, but he was the one person she knew who hated the cold as much as she did.

One train ride and a few corner turns later, she walked into the cafe where she agreed to meet him. He stood up from his booth when he saw her, wearing his long sleeve sweater, his scarf wrapped neatly around his neck, and his fedora over his short, spiky blonde hair.

"TK," she said with a big smile as she hugged him tightly. "It's so good to see you."

"You too, Sora," he said, smiling back cheerfully. She noticed the tiredness lining his eyes, reminding her of how little sleep she had in her university days.

"I'll go order my drink."

"Pumpkin latte, Sora?"

Sora eyed him. "Get real."

She sat down in front of him in his booth afterward, noticing his outlined and highlighted notes in the open notebook in front of him, and a thick novel he had a bookmark in.

"I'm reading  _'Ethan Frome'_  for class and I have to write an essay about it," he said. "Out of all the books, it had to be the one set in the dead of winter."

"I'm so sorry for your pain," Sora replied, apologetically. "Do you need me to buy you a drink to keep you warm?"

"Please don't. I've already had enough caffeine for one day." TK laughed. "I guess reading this is good for me, though. It expands my horizons as an aspiring writer."

"Have you written any more?" Sora asked perking up a little.

"I've been toying around with a new idea for a fantasy type story. Been trying to write character descriptions and building a world. I've just been so busy with school, but I have a few scenes written out that I want you to read."

"Yes, please," she said, feeling giddy. Sora adored TK's writing. The first story he asked her to read was when he was in his last year of high school, which was a love story that ended in tragedy. She had been laying against Tai on the couch as the tears bubbled on her lids as she read the main character dying in her lover's arms after she saved the world.

"Sora, what's the matter?" Tai had asked, extremely confused at her sudden burst of emotion.

"TK… he's… so cruel…"

"O-okay, Sora," Tai held her tightly as she continued to cry, clenching the pages in her hands. "We'll have a talk with TK later…"

Since then, she had been reading anything and everything TK offered, and she offered her critique, whether constructive, or purely emotional reaction. She even gave him suggestions on character wardrobe designs whenever he asked her.

While they chatted about his latest idea, the hostess arrived with a mug and saucer, placing it in front of Sora. She got a whiff of the sweet and nutty scent, and noted the light wisp of steam floating over the light-tan beverage.

"Hazelnut latte with an extra pump?" TK asked her, and Sora nodded with a smile.

"The best for all seasons," she replied. She took a slow sip, and smiled as she felt the mix of sweet, bitter, and warmth flowed through her mouth, down her throat and into her stomach.

"You know, alcohol could have warmed you up just as well," said TK, sticking his tongue out.

"Brat," said Sora. Then, she set down her mug and pushed it toward TK as an offer to him. He picked up the mug and took a sip.

"I'd have to say it's odd, though," TK added when he pushed the mug back toward her. "You being out like this in the middle of the week."

"Nothing wrong with a little distraction..."

"Distraction…?" TK tilted his head at her curiously. Maybe it was the uncertainty in her voice that made him ask, because she was uncertain about it all, herself. Was it right to feel the way she did seeing Aki and Tai? Should she have given her number away…?

"Distractions can be good, Sora," answered TK then, with a smile that had a sense of optimism for her. TK never thought about prying into Sora's personal thoughts. He wasn't the type to ask about her details - not once did he ask about her and Tai's breakup. But he always seemed to have good advice for her, even on the surface, and it always gave her comfort.

"I guess they can be." Sora smiled back.

They sat in silence for a bit, sharing sips of the latte, seeing the liquid sink lower and lower after each one.

"Did you hear, though?" said TK. "About Kari?"

Sora's eyes went from the mug to meet TK's. "I did."

"Everyone's slowly finding out. I heard from Matt. Tai told him."

"TK..." Sora read his lowered lids and put her hand over his on the table.

"It's okay, Sora," he said. "I'm happy as long as she is."

TK pushed the saucer toward Sora for her turn, but Sora shook her head and pushed it back. "Finish it. You need the warmth more than I do."

He smiled, putting his hand over hers and squeezing it. "You're the best, Sora."

Sora decided it was time to go home after they emptied the mug, and TK decided to follow suit. She noticed she cheered up since after leaving the bar, and wasn't sure if it was the hazelnut latte that hit the spot, or seeing TK feeling better after she shared her latte with him. They might have been similar in that way, relying on warmth, even if it was from a drink, to soothe them from their troubled thoughts.

As TK dumped his books into his backpack, Sora felt a buzz in her pocket. The name in the pop-up read "Kaze".

"What's up?" he asked, and Sora knew he observed the smile on her face.

"Nothing, TK," she said. "Just a distraction."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all don't hate me for pulling Taiora further apart x(  
> Please note that the characters Aki(meaning Autumn) and Kaze(meaning Wind) are named that way for a reason which you will find out in later chapters.
> 
> What do you think of Aki and Kaze? Other than the fact that they are _wrenches_ in the Taiora cogs???? :3
> 
> Thanks for reading up until this point. I hope you stick around for more~~~


	8. [guilty as charged]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **mild smut warning**

Sora woke up to a text message from Kaze on Thursday morning.

" _Good morning! Did you sleep well?"_  was his text.

She didn't message him back the night before, in which he wished her a good evening. She figured she would wait to return his message in the morning, but didn't think he would send another one so quickly.

" _Morning. Stop slacking and get to work,"_  she replied on her keyboard.

It had been a long while since she talked to anyone like this. After Tai left for Beijing, she found herself setting up dates with guys from websites and apps. It was usually by the second or third date before she decided the guy wasn't worth another. Sometimes, there was radio silence from the other end that gave her the same message. Whatever the case, it took a few months of this routine of socializing, courting, and breaking it off before Sora knew that she would rather deal with more important things.

Yet, here she was, over a year later, sitting on the train on the way to work, smiling at Kaze's reply.

 

 

_**Kaze:** _ _"You're bossy. I'm supposed to be my own boss."_

_**Sora:** _ _"Well, you might not be doing a very good job if you're messaging some girl you talked to at a bar."_

_**Kaze:** _ _"My pride has been shot."_

 

Sora tucked her phone away at work. He had been firing messages back only a few moments after her replies, while she took her time between her responses. Kaze was something new, maybe a little exciting, but she knew where her priorities were set.

She greeted Aki and her coworkers as she walked down the aisle to her cubicle, even bowing at Dora-senpai as she passed by her desk. Dora-senpai was a foot shorter than Sora, with short, sleek, straight black bob and short bangs to cover her forehead. She wore a formal suit and matching skirt, with a fashionable scarf around her neck. As Sora greeted her, her lips made a slight curl and she nodded her head.

"No one else gets that greeting, you know," Aki said. "I say hello, and she gives me a deadpan stare. She's scary."

The rest of the girls in the cubicles around her were silent, and Sora felt the aura of tension surrounding her. She knew they were all in a quiet frenzy, putting their portfolios together before their presentations on Monday.

Sora sat at her desk, unlocking her drawer and pulling out her portfolio. Opening the leather binding, she set the samples of bright and bold satin fabric aside and looked over her pages of sketches as she turned them. For her portfolio, she decided to go for designing kimonos with a modern twist, something those of the older generation would respect and even the younger crowds would be into. She imagined this collection to debut sometime in the autumn months, but chose colors that were bright enough to be reminiscent of summertime while they meshed together with typical darker colors of fall. She didn't have a name for this collection, but she figured the designs and the inspiration was more important for the presentation, either way.

None of the girls, of course, wanted to share their ideas or designs with each other. Dora-senpai challenged them to design their own collections to showcase their ideas and capabilities. As Sora traced her final design with a reddish-orange colored pencil, the tip broke, and she couldn't find a sharpener at her desk. She figured she could ask the green-haired girl at the desk next to her if she could borrow it.

But as Sora stood at her desk and called her name, the girl snapped her head to her with a glare, immediately covering her own sketches with her chest.

Sora stepped back a little. "Mind if I borrow your sharpener? I can't find mine."

The girl rolled her eyes and turned back to her sketches. Sora was taken aback by this, but decided to walk over to Aki's desk at the other end of the aisle.

"You know her," Aki said in a low whisper when she handed her sharpener. "Everyone to her is an enemy."

During Sora's lunch break, Sora put everything away and sat at her desk to munch on her sandwich. Aki joined her with her desk chair to chat.

"You left me last night, you know," Aki told her. "We were wondering where you ran off to."

"We?" Sora asked, wanting to appear indifferent.

"As in me. And Taichi."

"Oh." Sora gulped the bites of her sandwich. "I wasn't in the mood after all."

"I'm hanging out with him tonight. He's such a hottie."

"That's great," said Sora, now turned her chair to her desk, away from Aki's attention, hoping it would make her ignore everything she was hearing. So Tai was going out with another girl. It didn't matter. It  _shouldn't_  matter. Tai had every right to go out with whomever he wanted-

"Of course you'd have good taste, Sora," Aki said.

"What do you mean?" Sora asked, turning to her.

"Don't think you can get past me. I saw the way you two were looking at each other. You have a history, I know it. He didn't say anything, either, but it took a lot for me to finally get his attention."

Sora chewed more of her sandwich in silence, and she could still feel Aki's eyes on her.

"You still won't budge, huh?" she said. Then she sighed and flipped her hair back. "Well. More for me."

When Aki left for her own desk, Sora pulled her phone out to see another message from Kaze, asking what she was having for lunch and that he was starving. She had finished her sandwich, but was no longer in the mood to socialize. She put her phone back into her desk to go back to clean up her final designs.

That evening, Sora went over to Mimi and Izzy's with takeout rice bowls, and a tub of vanilla ice cream that Mimi threw herself to Sora for with a hug and a kiss on her cheek. Izzy joined them for dinner from working on his research, but disappeared back into his office once they all cleaned off their bowls.

It was when Mimi served warmed up apple pie and scoops of ice cream in their own bowls when Sora's phone lit up on the table next to her, grabbing her and Mimi's attention.

Mimi lit up. "Kaze? Is that the new guy?"

"That boy sure loves to text," said Sora, letting out a giggle. "He just asked me out for Friday night."

"Ooh! Lemme see," said Mimi, and Sora handed her phone. " _'7pm is fine, but we can meet later if you want.'_  What's on his mind, I wonder?"

"Stop, Mimi," said Sora as Mimi giggled. Sora described Kaze to Mimi as she requested, and recounted the night aloud to Mimi, from hanging out with Aki to the beer talk with Kaze, and even the appearance of TK.

"Poor kid," Mimi said with a frown, resting her chin against her palm. "I can't believe Kari's been hiding that from all of us. I nearly screamed at Izzy after you told me."

"I know, Meems," Sora said, laughing. "I heard. But, TK's getting by."

"And you, Sora?" she asked. "How was seeing Tai at happy hour yesterday?"

"Oh, Tai?"

Sora didn't realize until then that she had left him out of the details.

"I barely had a chance to talk to him," Sora continued. "He was pretty...occupied."

"I see. Well, at least you went. I was starting to worry if you were still hung up on him or not."

"I'm not," Sora replied, but she was quick to say it.

Friday rolled around quickly. Kaze sent his  _'good morning!'_  text, and Sora went to work, making the final touches on her portfolio, then putting it in her desk before leaving at the end of the day. A few of the girls, including Aki, decided to stay late to finish up their portfolios.

"Good luck," Sora told her with a kiss on the cheek goodbye.

"Let's hope I don't need it by Monday," Aki replied.

Sora met Kaze in front of the restaurant later that evening, bundled up in her long coat and beret. He wore his own black coat, and handed her a couple of green leaves picked off of a tree.

"What's this?" Sora asked.

"You said you didn't like the fall, so I figured you wouldn't like the ones that changed colors. I thought you might appreciate these."

Sora laughed as he placed them in her palm. "Charmed, I'm sure."

In the restaurant, she took off her coat and revealed a green casual evening dress that flared down her waist to just above her knees.

"You look lovely," said Kaze.

They had dinner, sitting across from each other at a table. They talked about their jobs. Their hobbies. Their friends. Then, they talked about Tai.

"So, how do you know him?" he asked.

"He's a friend," she said, glad that the iced tea was close to her lips. "We've known each other since grade school."

"By how much he talked about you, I would've thought you were something more."

"Used to be," Sora admitted. "We used to be."

"Ahh, that makes more sense. So? How did he screw it up?"

Sora laughed. "What makes you think he was the one who screwed it up?"

"You seem to have a really good head on your shoulders. That, and it's usually the guy who is the screw up, anyway."

"Sounds more like you're admitting to your own faults."

"Guilty as charged."

Sora found him really easy to talk to. As they ate, she realized she was already holding out her fork to him with a piece of her food to feed to him, and he shared some if his food, too. Sora also found his eyes pleasing to look at as he smiled back at her.

After dinner, they strolled down the streets while they chatted some more. As chilly as it was, Sora was glad she had her long coat to keep her warm, but she liked Kaze enough to wrap her arm around his as they walked.

She didn't realize that, until they stood on the curb, that she led them to the front of her apartment building. She wasn't ready for this night to be over, and she couldn't bear the idea of standing in the cold.

"Did you want to come up?" she asked him, and she had a feeling he wasn't going to say no.

Not that she didn't want him to.

She led him up the stairs to her apartment, which she thankfully cleaned up before leaving earlier. She set her coat and accessories on the stand, and, feeling the cold air on her skin. immediately ran to turn the heater on.

"Are you really that cold?" Kaze asked, removing his coat and shoes, then heading over to sit on the couch.

"I'm  _really_  that cold," said Sora, standing behind the couch, making Kaze turn around to face her. "Anything to drink?"

"What do you have?"

"Hmm. Water, tea, coffee, hot chocolate-"

Kaze laughed. "I'm good. You really prepared yourself for the fall, didn't you?"

Sora walked around the couch to sit beside him. "Anything to keep me warm."

"Sora, you're cold."

Kaze put his hand on her forearm. His hand was warm as he ran it down her arm.

_Do I want this to happen?_

"We've already discussed this," she said, edging closer to him. "I'm cold. I hate everything about Autumn. Except, maybe the sky. Sometimes, the sky is pretty."

"I disagree on that last part," he said, his hand now brushing against her cheek, his green eyes glimmering into hers as they drew closer. "The sky I see is beautiful."

_He can go out with whoever he wants..._

"You're really corny, Windy," she said, smiling as she stared down at his lips, smirking but, to her, tempting.

"It's working, though, isn't it...?"

_It doesn't matter. It shouldn't..._

Sora didn't say anything more. She moved to kiss him, feeling his lips soft and warm against hers. Kaze edged himself closer, holding his hands at her neck as he kissed her back. Her arms wrapped around his back, holding him close, the cold leaving her the more they kissed, but the chills running all over.

She felt his hands run along her back, on her chest, down her thighs - she giggled as she let him explore her while her lips moved against his. Her hands moved to feel the firm muscles on his arms and chest, and then she moved to unbutton his shirt, lusting to feel his skin underneath.

Kaze broke off the kiss then, and Sora felt his panting breath over hers, his cheeks pink but her heat surrounding her racing heart.

"I like you," he said. Sora's brows furrowed, but he might have made her heart flutter then.

"And I like you," she said. "Maybe the wind isn't so bad, after all."

"And  _I'm_ the corny one?"

His hand had snuck underneath the frill of her dress, and hers was over the zipper of his pants. She was caught in his gaze, and she knew what he wanted from her all along.

Sora wanted it, too.

She got up from the couch and took his hand, leading him to her bedroom. There, she climbed backward onto her bed, pulling him forward by his shirt collar. She brought his lips to hers again, their kisses faster now, and his hands continued where they left off, finding their way back underneath her dress, Sora feeling the chills from his touch.

The heat was getting to her, and her dress slipped off, and so did his shirt, and her hands finally met his chest as she moved them down to touch him below. Before she knew it, her legs were spread apart underneath him and she felt him inside her, and she watched him smiling as she rocked with him, holding onto his back and calling his name.

After a few more times, they both relaxed, and he fell on top of her chest, both of them catching their breaths. Neither of them said a word, and as his breathing calmed, so did hers, and her eyelids grew heavier until she fell asleep.

* * *

When she came to, he wasn't there. The sun was already out, and she sat up on her bed, her blanket falling from her chest. She picked up her phone, empty of new messages. She hopped out of bed, grabbing a shirt and pajama pants to wear, noticing his clothes weren't on the floor. She peered into the bathroom, only finding herself in the reflection, and walked out of her bedroom, seeing the kitchen and the living room untouched.

She got to the front door, and saw that her beret was flattened as though another jacket had been hung over it. The flats she had taken off were leaned to the side after the shoes they sat on top of were removed, and when she looked up, the front door was closed, but left unlocked.

Like a chilly breeze that hit her, grabbing her attention, then disappearing without a trace.

It was already a cold morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be lighter. Colder, in a sillier sense, but lighter.  
> You'll know what I mean after you read it.


	9. [that idiot never changes]

The first thing Sora did on Saturday was call Mimi.

"Sora! I'm so glad you called, I have an update! I finally found a photographer for the wedding! It's Sakura-san, the woman you and I were hoping would be available!"

"That's great, Mimi. That's wonderful news. It's all coming together now, isn't it?"

Even the excitement couldn't come through the sound of Sora's voice.

"Sora…? Hold on, Izzy - I want to sit down for a moment-"

Sora sat on her couch, her blanket wrapped around her body curled up underneath, a mug of piping hot chocolate in her hand.

"Are you out, Mimi? I can call back later."

"We just left Sakura-san's office and went over the details and we're just heading home now, but, Sora, is everything okay?"

Everything was  _not_ okay. She went on a date with a good-looking guy, charismatic, silly, and she got too close, too fast. She never liked the idea of hooking up on the first date, but she pushed herself anyway, knowing it was a terrible idea. Not that he minded, either.

But he left her without a goodbye, without a blip on her phone, without any sort of note. Whether it was after the first date, second, or third, the message that came across was clear to her.

She explained everything to Mimi, feeling foolish as she mulled over the details with her again.

"Oh, Sora, you poor thing. Don't blame yourself over this. I can't believe he did that to you. You and I have had our fair share of men like this, but - Do you need me to come over?"

"No, don't. It's okay. I'll be fine, really."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"It's always the guy that screws up, Sora, remember that."

Sora cringed.

"Izzy and I are off to do errands then," said Mimi. "Call me if you need anything. I love you."

"Love you."

Sora spent the rest of her hot chocolate consumption on the couch, peering over her phone next to her that never made a sound. It was funny to her how the tables turned after one night - where she expected her phone to blow up with his quick-fire responses, and then, nothing.

After the final sip of her hot chocolate, she got up from the couch, deciding that she needed to stop dwelling over him and shake this off. All Kaze turned out to be was a distraction, right? She didn't need any distractions in her life right now, anyway.

She went for a quick jog down a few blocks and back, wanting to clear her mind from the stresses of the past week. When she returned to her apartment, she filled a glass of water and a towel to wipe off her sweat, then she noticed her phone was still on the couch, but the notification light was flashing.

Sora picked up her phone, seeing that it was a message, but it was, to her surprise-

"Tai?" she said aloud.

Curiously, she tapped the screen on her phone to open the message, reading on to see that it was actually a message to the group:

" _Hey guys! How about a get together at my new digs tonight? Still settling in but I'm thinking pizza and beer?"_

Sora ran her hand through her hair, massaging her hand on her temples.

"Taichi, why..." she said in helplessness. It wasn't that Tai was bad at hosting. He just always told everyone at the last minute. Countless moments of her scolding him throughout the years about this very thing ran through her mind then. She could hear Mimi growling at this message, and she could see Matt groan and hold his forehead in the palm of his hand.

Her phone rang just then, and she picked it up right away.

"That idiot never changes," Matt said groggily. It sounded as though he had just woken up.

"No kidding," she said. "How many of the others do you think will go this time?"

"Well, we can count Joe out, he had to work night shifts this week. Mimi might go on her tirade on poor Izzy's ears, but she and Izzy will make an appearance. TK and Kari…"

Sora paused. "Oh, yeah, they were in the group message, too…"

"Yeah... we'll see. Either way, it always ends up with me and you with him. I might not be able to stay long tonight, though. Don't want to keep my date waiting."

"Yamicchi?" Sora gasped mockingly. "A date?"

"She seems pretty nice. I met her at an after-party at one of my buddy's gigs."

"Good for you," said Sora. "Well, have fun, then. And… don't be a guy."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Sora sighed, not wanting to explain herself but feeling guilty for springing it on him. "Never mind. I'll see you tonight, okay?"

In the late afternoon, Sora took two trains to Tai's house, where she ran into Matt going onto the second. He was in his typical shirt, jeans, and leather jacket, but his hair seemed to have just a little more gel in it. Together, they walked from the station, past a couple of blocks into a quiet suburban street, and stopped in front of a large, two-story house.

"Aha!" Tai said when he threw the door open for them. He dressed in his casual shirt and long shorts, his big, brown hair in its usual messy tame. "Matt, Sora. Good to see you both. Sora, not too cold today?"

"Warmer than most days, thank goodness," she replied, wearing a nice top and jeans, and holding her faux fur jacket in front of her.

"Not too sure who else is coming, but I'm glad you two showed up first." Tai led Sora and Matt inside, and as they all took off their shoes, Sora took a quick look around. Right next to the foyer was the living room, and behind it, the kitchen and dining area. Dividing the kitchen and living room was a set of stairs to the second floor, set right over the kitchen.

"Want a tour, Sora?" Tai asked. "You too, Matt, even though you've already seen it."

"Sure," Matt replied. "Let's see the catastrophe you've created since I was here last."

The couch in the living room was right in front of the staircase, with the TV and a sound system in front, and a coffee table in between.

"Soraaa," Tai said, walking over to the left arm of the couch. "This fireplace here has been waiting for you for its entire existence."

"That's where I'm hanging out tonight," Sora acknowledged.

Sora followed Tai upstairs with Matt, and she noted three doors surrounding an open hallway space. Tai opened the first one on the left, which was carpeted but full of boxes. "Just an extra room so far," he said. "Not sure what to do with it yet." The next door he opened was for the bathroom, and then, he stopped at the final door.

"This is the master bedroom," he said. "I'm not showing anyone else but you two."

When Sora walked in, her jaw immediately dropped in horror. His bed was unmade, his clothes scattered on top, on a chair, over the TV at the foot of the bed. There was a bathroom, too, but Sora didn't dare think about going in.

"Geez, Tai, at least clean up for us!" Sora yelled in disgust.

"I expected this from you, Sora," he said with a grin.

"Then why didn't you do anything about it?!"

"See? I was right. Catastrophe," Matt added.

"Guys, relax, no one's going to come up here, anyway," said Tai, coolly.

But Sora couldn't take it. "How the hell can you live like this, Tai?" She went straight for the shirt on the TV and picked it up. "Where's your laundry basket?"

"Sora, we don't have to do this now-" Tai followed her around as she picked up after him.

"I can't hang out with everyone downstairs  _knowing_ that a storm passed through up here!"

"Sora, come on," Tai was laughing through his pleading. "Seriously, I'll clean this up later."

" _Seriously,_ Tai, where's your laundry basket?"

Tai fell silent and looked over to the bathroom. Sora noticed Matt had disappeared, and she was still dreading the bathroom, but she knew the pile of Tai's clothes needed to be put away.

Tai had stopped arguing with her and let her walk across the room as he followed behind her. For a moment, she was satisfied to feel as though her scolding got through to him this time, for once. But the moment she stepped into the bathroom, she realized something moving beside her as she turned, and Matt jumped out and shouted with his arms out-

"BOO!" Matt cried, causing Sora to scream in terror, falling backward and releasing all of Tai's dirty clothes from her hands. Tai caught her from falling, and he and Matt couldn't stop laughing. Sora's heart thumped in her chest from the fright, and she turned around and lifted her hand up to smack Tai, but it only fell onto his chest as she laughed it off with them.

Somehow, she needed this, and somehow, her mood turned a little brighter.

When the three of them returned downstairs, Sora noticed no one else had shown up yet.

"Hey, a text from Mimi," Tai announced, and Sora and Matt took out their phones. "Izzy had a bad reaction to their lunch today, so she's staying home with him."

"TK hasn't responded to any of my texts," said Matt.

"I invited Kari and Davis," Tai said. "She hasn't said anything. I told her TK might be coming."

Matt looked up from his phone and eyed him. "You wonder why she's not answering you."

Sora looked at the two of them. "Well, then, I guess it's just the three of us, once again."

"Oh, wait," Matt said suddenly, after hearing the beep on his phone. "I almost forgot. Date tonight. I probably should get going."

"Aww, and leave us? You suck," said Tai. "Sora?"

Tai watched her curiously, and so did Matt. She could make up an excuse about work right now, or claim that an old friend from uni called her up and wanted to catch up. Something,  _anything_ to relieve her from being alone with him.

But, did she want to be alone tonight?

"I've... got nothing better to do," she said with a casual shrug, and Tai smiled.

"Sweet," he said. "I'll order the pizza, then."

"I guess I should be off…" Matt said, and Tai didn't pay attention, but Matt was eyeing them both with suspicion. "Behave yourselves."

Sora wished Matt wasn't so cautious about her and Tai being alone together. What did he have to worry about? What did  _anyone_  have to worry about? They had already agreed that they were friends. Tai already had his sights on someone else, and Sora, well, she  _did_ …

After Matt left, Tai ordered a large pizza, and Sora didn't mind what toppings he chose. By the time the pizza arrived, it was dark outside, and Tai already lit up the fireplace with no questions asked. He set the box on the coffee table and served her a slice, joining her as she sat cross-legged by the fire.

"Mushrooms?!" Sora said with delight at her favorite topping. "Did you put the extras on half of the pizza?"

"No," said Tai. "I don't mind picking them off of my pieces and giving them to you."

"You didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to. You are my sole honored guest, after all."

"Stupid Tai." She smiled as he grinned at her.

"It's always nice to hang out with you, Sora. I kinda wish we hung out more the other night."

_Really? You seemed just fine without me._

"It seems like Aki has taken a liking to you," she said, her smile gone as her eyes moved to the fire.

"Ah, Aki…"

Sora turned to him, wondering why he paused. He was looking down on the ground, scratching his head.

"We keep cancelling on each other. I had to bail last minute on Thursday. I invited her over tonight, too. I didn't think anyone else was going to show up either way. But she turned me down."

"She turned you down?"

_Thank goodness._

"Yeah. Something about work. The portfolio presentation."

It was an excuse Sora herself might have used, but a thought crossed her mind to check on Aki later.

"It's the same one you're preparing for, right?" he asked. "The promotion."

"Sure," said Sora, thinking about her designs and breathing an anxious sigh. "I'm nervous about it, but I think I've got everything done and ready for Monday."

"I expected no less. You're going to rock it."

They shared smiles again, and Sora felt herself blushing.

After Tai ate two slices from his plate (dumping all of his mushrooms onto Sora's), he got up from the floor. "I'm getting a beer. Do you want one?"

"I'm good for now," Sora said.

"What are you in the mood for, then, Sora?" he asked, now yelling from the kitchen.

"You know what? I could really go for some tea."

"Tea?! Pizza, and then  _tea_?!"

"Well, maybe a glass of water to wash down the pizza, but I'm really cozy by the fire right now…"

"I don't know if I have tea…"

Sora got up from her place by the fire, then hopped over to the couch. She kneeled on the cushions to watch Tai foraging his cabinets.

"Water is just fine, if you can't find any."

"This night can't go well if my guest isn't comfortable while we watch a movie later."

"A movie?"

"Yeah." Tai opened a drawer and kept digging. "I have the TV set up, and I wanted to watch a movie with everyone - Ha! Found some jasmine green." He pulled out a couple of bags from the drawer and set them on the counter in front of him.

"What's the movie, Tai?"

Tai bit his lip, then turned to look at her with a smile.

"I think you'll love it, Sora."

"What is it?"

He approached her, his eyes lit up with excitement, but with a tinge of something that made Sora feel skeptical.

"How about I put it on and we find out together?"

Sora's eyes narrowed. "What is it?" she repeated.

" _Trust me._  It'll be in your top three."

Sora crossed her arms. "I'm not watching it if you don't tell me what it is."

Tai frowned. "Come on, Sora. How awkward is it going to be with just the two of us sitting on a couch quietly drinking tea?"

She scoffed. "You don't have to drink tea if you don't want to, Tai. The beer is there when you want it. And I highly doubt that you've only unpacked one movie from your moving boxes."

"How do you know that you're not going to like it if you don't even know what it is yet?"

There was laughter in her scoff now. "I know you're trying to trick me!"

"Why would I do that?"

Sora stopped arguing with him, staring at his mischievous smile. She couldn't help but laugh, but only as she looked away to blush, after realizing how close he stood in front of her.

"Fine, Tai. It was supposed to be your housewarming, anyway. Get me a beer, too, please."

Tai's smile only grew wider. "You're too sweet, Sora. I'll be back. Good call on the beer, by the way, I'm sure you're going to need it.

Sora couldn't narrow her eyes any more than she did already. She turned around on the couch, sitting herself at the edge closest to the fire, and grabbed another pizza slice to munch on. When Tai returned, he was holding two beer bottles, a pillow, and three blankets. Sora set her slice down on her plate to take the items off his hands.

"I can be sweet, too, you know," Tai said with another grin, and she used the pillow to smack him in response before he walked away.

Tai moved over to the TV and slipped the movie disc into the player. Sora sat back against the couch, holding her beer bottle against her chest as the TV turned on and Tai took a seat at the other end of the couch. She watched as the screen panned to a castle and a Disney logo appeared on the screen. Sora could feel her face slowly turn to horror, as the next image showed frosty snowflakes floating across the dark blue screen, one of them growing bigger in size. She had her suspicions, but they were confirmed as the title of the movie appeared across the screen in its cold, icy lettering.

 _Frozen_. Tai was making her watch the movie  _Frozen_.

Sora stood up with a grimace, noticing Tai's grinning face as he watched her reaction the whole time. If it was one thing she disliked more than the colder months, it was movies and other media that showcased the cold, maybe even celebrated it.

She wasn't angry with him. She was just incredibly annoyed.

"Sora," he laughed, and she set her beer down in the coffee table in front, then picked up the three blankets and dropped them all on top of him, covering his whole body as he doubled over in laughter.

"Sora, come on," he wheezed, and found his way out from underneath the blankets to pause the movie. "Sora. Come back. I was going to get everyone else to watch it! I promise!"

"Out of  _all_ the movies, Tai?" Sora was still frowning at him, and Tai's laughter wasn't dying down.

"You remember when it came out in theaters, right, Sora?" he asked. "No one wanted to watch it with me. Everyone claimed they were busy. Kari thought it was childish for her older brother to like this kind of thing. Matt said no way in hell was he going to watch a Disney movie but he said he'd go if you went. And you denied me my movie date every single time."

"Oh, Tai," she said then, with an exasperated sigh.

"I finally got my hands on a copy," he said, now starting to sound somber. "I wanted to torture everyone with it tonight."

Tai always had an odd obsession for Disney films. Sora didn't really know about it until she heard strange sounds from the living room one evening, and she walked into him watching  _Aladdin_ by himself, singing along off-key to the movie. Tai, who could name every star soccer player in any given team and any given year, and who was always up for a beer-drinking challenge, was also an audacious Disney fanatic. Sora sat next to him, staring at him with perplexity, but he only put his arm around her and brought her closer to him, serenading her about no one telling them, 'no', or where to go, and a thing or two about a whole new world. Over the years, Sora would sit with him as she watched all the other movies he loved, but the description of this movie alone was enough to put her off.

Sora sat down next to him as the screen before them paused at the movie logo. "You were waiting for my reaction to this." Her tone was grumpy.

"I had that set up the entire time," was his shameless reply.

Sora stared at him, questioning just how many times she had fallen for his setups before.

"I'll watch it with you," she said, uncrossing her arms.

Tai's eyes widened. "You will?"

"I will. Just… get me another beer."

He smiled with less mischief, and more warmth. "As you wish, Cinderelly."

She chugged the beer in front of her before he came back with her second bottle. They sat on either end of the couch as he pressed 'play' on the remote. Together, they watched the movie. She watched as the characters frolicked in the snow, and she wrapped one of the blankets around her because the fireplace near her wasn't enough to warm her. She watched the princess. The ice queen. The snowman. Building one. The snow. The cold…

That was when the beer might have finally kicked in. Her vision might have blurred, but she felt her lids growing heavier, her consciousness leaving her. Sora yawned as a melody and a voice graced her ears.

" _The past is in the past,"_  the character sang with a long note.

_Was it really?_

Sora's eyelids closed, and she felt a second blanket over her, not sure how it ended up there. She wasn't leaning on the end of the couch where the fireplace crackled, but it was still warm where she lay. It wasn't the sound of embers snapping she was hearing, but the sound of a heartbeat, slow and steady.

And then, a kiss on the top of her hair.

Did she dream it? Before she knew it, she fell into a kiss on his lips. The beating heart beat faster, Their kisses quick and fervent. She followed him up to his room, his messy room, where she jumped into bed with him, pulling him in by his shirt collar to join her lips with his. She cried out softly, wanting him to hear her need for this, her hands running wild into his long, brown hair. He wasted no time, falling on top of her, his smile apparent as he held her body close to him, pushing himself as they moved together. She heard him say her name, and she knew, she just knew, that he would be there by her side when she woke up the next morning…

Sora gasped and sat up with a jump. It was morning again. She looked around, seeing that she had been sleeping on the extra pillow with her head towards the middle of the couch. All three blankets were wrapped over her. The TV had been turned off. Tai was nowhere in her immediate radius, but as Sora heard steps on the stairs, she turned to see that Tai was walking down the steps, his eyes half closed, his hair in its usual morning skew.

"Sleep well, Aurora?" he asked sleepily, scratching his head.

Sora decided to ignore the skipping in her heart at what he called her. What she focused on most was that Tai appeared oblivious, which meant that he had no idea what she might have felt. Or dreamed the night before.

"I fell asleep before the movie ended," she replied, hiding her panic, but feeling relieved at the same time. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Sora. I finally got to watch it all."

"Did you enjoy it?"

"You know I did." A goofy smile spread across his lips. "Elsa is my kind of girl."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Sora smiled at him, and he continued to walk down the steps.

The kiss on the top of her hair...

"Hey, Tai," she started. "Did you…?"

"Did I…?" He looked confused.

"…Nothing. Never mind. I should head out, anyway. Tomorrow's the big day."

"Why not stay for breakfast?" he asked.

_Why does he want to keep me here?_

"I'll just grab something on the way home," she said.

"At least, have some tea before you go. For the torture I put you through."

Sora had to laugh. "Okay."

Tai turned the kettle on as Sora went into the guest bathroom to check her appearance. She hummed as she walked over to his kitchen with one blanket wrapped around her like a cloak. She wasn't sure where the song came from, but when she leaned against the kitchen counter, she noticed Tai smiling at her. She wondered if he just wasn't fully awake to start taunting her about something.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing, Sora."

After warming up with tea, she and Tai exchanged an embrace, and he wished her the best for tomorrow's presentation. She felt light and happy, almost as though a weight lifted from her shoulders, seeing that she could hang out with Tai alone, and not worry about feeling the tension from their past.

"The past is in the past…" Sora said to herself, maybe even sang it.

On her way home, she returned a call from Matt who she saw left a message for her earlier.

"How was your date?" Sora asked as she left the train and walked onto the streets.

"Not bad. I'm not sure if I want another date though. I might have to let her down easy."

Sora chuckled. "I'm glad you're not being a guy."

Matt paused. "Still don't know what that means. How was last night?"

"Well, we just hung out, had pizza and beer, and watched a movie."

"Oh, really?" Sora could sense his suspicion returning again.

"Hang on, Matt," she said then. She entered her apartment, taking off her shoes and everything to feel comfortable in her own couch.

"Sora, you're humming."

"Mm-hmm."

"Did Tai finally get you to watch  _Frozen_?"

She sat on her own couch, confused at first. "How did you…"

She realized she was humming the song, "Let it Go".

"Oh, gawd…" she groaned.

Matt was laughing at her now. "Glad I got out before I could. And it had to be you, too."

"Yamicchi,  _stop_ ," she whined.

"No, this is  _too_ good. How does it feel, Sora? Did the cold ever bother you, anyway?"

"I'm hanging up now."

* * *

Monday morning arrived, and Sora woke up earlier than she normally did out of nerves. She took extra care with her makeup, down to the extra curl in her lashes and the boldness in her eyeliner. She wore a flowy, white blouse and a gray pencil skirt, with a blazer on top to match.

Her phone was bombarded with messages from her friends, full of well-wishes and good lucks. She read them as she leaned against a pole on the train. It calmed her nerves a little, but the excitement still made her antsy.

As she walked down the street toward her building, she noticed a tall businessman walking her direction. Light brown hair, broad build, no, it couldn't be...

She slowed to a stop as he slowed with his approach, his jacket hanging over his shoulder. There was no mistaking his green eyes.

"You left early," she said, and Kaze sighed, looking away from her and up toward the sky.

"Well you know, I'm a busy guy," he said plainly. "I can't really slack off."

She fought off the pain she felt, and felt herself stand straighter and looked into his green eyes, now grey and muddied to her.

"You are your own boss, after all."

"...I guess I should go then. I'll see you around."

"Take care," Sora said impassively, and walked on ahead of her before he did, and didn't turn back. A cold chill blasted against her, making her hair fly back a little, but she ignored it. That distraction was done and dusted, and all she cared about then was to snag her promotion.

"Ready for this, Takenouchi?" Aki said as Sora joined her in the elevator.

"Ready for anything," Sora said, knowing full well she was going to have an amazing presentation. She greeted everyone with a smile when she passed their desks, as usual.

However, as Sora got to her own desk, she turned the key into the drawer, but noticed that it didn't click. It was already unlocked.

She opened her drawer slowly, and fear loomed over her head and grew wider, when she discovered that her portfolio wasn't in it.


	10. [heart of gold]

Where could it have gone?

Sora could have sworn that she locked her desk drawer before she left on Friday evening. That was part of her routine, even pulling on the drawers to make sure they didn't open after she turned the key.

Her face started to numb and she tried to take in sharp breaths, but suddenly she felt as though she was losing air, and she could only hear the sound of her panicked breathing, her heart rate increasing-

_Calm down, Sora._

It  _had_  to be somewhere. She stood up from her chair, looking around at the other girls sitting at their desks. The green-haired neighbor was already looking angry. The other girls looked tense and just as distressed as she felt, although, at least  _they_ didn't lose their portfolios.

When she turned to look to Aki, she saw her with a calm air about her, but she also looked anxious. Knowing Aki, she was hiding what she truly felt—the fact that she was nervous about getting that promotion that all the girls in the room wanted.

"Hey, Sora?" Aki caught her looking her way, and approached her desk. "You okay, doll? I've never seen you this way."

"Aki…" Sora took another deep breath. "It's gone. My portfolio is gone. I swear, I locked my desk. I don't know where it is. You didn't see anything weird on Friday before you left, did you?"

Aki looked confused. "No. I was the last one here and watched everyone leave. I don't think anything like that would've happened."

"...Shit," Sora muttered, wanting to hold her palms to her eyes, but stopped herself, remembering the mascara.

"Ladies!" Dora-senpai announced, wearing her usual hair and business garb. "Presentations will begin in ten minutes. The bulletin board will have the listing of the order of presentations which will be fifteen minutes, each. You will be presenting to me and two other judges. You are to remain at your desk until all the presentations are complete, and then we will announce the promotions after deliberation. Let's hope you all are ready."

As Dora-senpai disappeared into the conference room, Sora rushed to the bulletin board, faster than the other girls who hurried behind her. She couldn't gauge how the order of the list was decided, but she saw that her name was seventh, out of the ten girls.

Sora breathed in and let out another huff, this time breathing to get the frenzy out of her system. She couldn't give up because of a lost portfolio, not with six other girls presenting in front of her. That gave her about an hour and a half—an hour and a half to try to put her ideas together into something. She already had a decorated poster board in niche of her desk and the wall next to it, and she worked on that portfolio long enough to know her ideas, her sketches, her colors, all by heart. She could finish two sketches in that amount of time, even though her portfolio had seven; but she knew exactly how to create the two that would speak the best to her fashion theme.

Aki sighed. "Wow, somehow, I got second," she said.

"Good luck, Aki," Sora said, giving her a quick hug before darting back to her desk. She grabbed the receiver of her desk phone, holding it against her ear with her shoulder as she dialed her contact in the fabrics department. A male voice answered the phone.

"Ichigo," Sora said as calmly as she could, as she brought out her sketchbook and colored pencils, her regular pencil already in her hand, drawing light curved lines on the paper. "I need a favor."

"Ooh, Sora, honey, I've never heard you this tense," he said. "Whatever you need, I've got it for you."

"Do you remember my  _'natsu'_?" she asked. It was her code word for the fabric she asked him to order for her for the portfolio.

"I could never forget. I still have plenty of that, but it's just a matter of finding it. It's always chaos finding things over here."

"I've got an hour and a half, so I need you to bring whatever you can find up to my desk as soon as you can."

"You got it," he said, then his voice sounded further away from the phone as he shouted. "Oy! We've got a code teal! Find the  _'natsu'_ fabric and get it to our girl, pronto!"

Sora kept her eyes on the sketch, but her eyes furrowed. "Code teal?"

"That one's just for you. We'll make it work. Good luck up there—Kisses!"

Sora continued her drawing, erasing the gray graphite and retracing with colors, ensuring the sketch to look as neat as possible. Along the way, she heard Aki scream in delight as she walked out of the conference room, alerting Sora that Aki must have had a great presentation.

With ten minutes left, as Sora finished shading in her second sketch, Ichigo showed up with her fabric, wrapping three of the different colors around her neck as though they were scarves.

"I could only find these," he said apologetically.

Sora got up and gave him a hug. "These are enough."

Ichigo, with his dark short hair and side swept bangs, scrunched his face as though he was going to cry and he covered his mouth with his hand.

"You're going to wow them, no matter what you do. Remember me when you're famous," he said.

She chuckled at that, which calmed her nerves in turn. They kissed each other's cheeks before Ichigo went back down to his floor. Using her final minutes, Sora, took out her decorated poster board from the side of her desk and pasted the sketches onto them. She wrapped the red-orange fabric around her waist, keeping the blue-green and fuschia fabrics around her neck, then walked down the aisle past the other girls' desks. Sora didn't know where Aki was, but her attention was turned to the green-haired girl who had just burst out of the conference room, sobbing as she ran out.

Sora tried to breathe her nerves away as she approached the conference room, her heart beating fast, though walking tall with her poster board under her arm. The overall appearance wasn't half as good as what she prepared for, but she was ready to showcase everything she had for the promotion she had been waiting for.

She entered the conference room, smiling as soon as she saw the faces of the three judges sitting a few feet before her. She met eyes with Dora-senpai who sat in the middle and nodded at her with her usual expressionless face. To her left was a smiley, older man in a business suit—Shiro-san, the operations manager who was Dora-senpai's manager, and, to Dora-senpai's right—

Sora stopped in her tracks, though, luckily it was at the center of the room, where she was supposed to stand, anyway. The third judge was none other than Okamoto Haru, founder of  _Haru, Inc._ , herself. Haru-sensei nodded at Sora with a soft smile, and Sora bowed at all three judges in return, admiring Haru-sensei's youthful appearance, her trademark short, light brown fluffy hair, and her cotton-candy pink turtleneck jacket she was known for.

"Thank you for allowing me this opportunity," Sora said, surprised at how calm and confident her voice sounded. She put her poster board on the easel in front of her, the backside of it facing the judges at the start. She noticed Dora-senpai's stare did not change, however Shiro-san's smile appeared less wider than it did when Sora first walked in.

 _You got this, Sora,_ she thought to herself, knowing she had her presentation dialogue memorized. With her hands up as she talked, she started off by introducing the idea of traditions in the olden days, and compared it to fashion trends throughout the years.

"Believe it or not, I was a bit of a rebel when I was younger," Sora admitted to the judges with the smile of embarrassment that came to her naturally. "I was always into jeans and any t-shirt that looked sporty. I was a tomboy, and I  _hated_ traditions, and I ignored the trends. It drove my mother crazy…"

She expected a few laughs at this point, but the panel was dead silent. Haru-sensei remained quiet, Shiro-san was now frowning, and Dora-senpai still had the same face, but Sora wondered if she could look any more stern.

She had to keep going.

"But, as I grew older, I became more open to the idea of traditions from my mother. My best friend, Mimi, introduced me to the latest trends. And, as the years flew by, my love for both tradition and trends had grown. Today, I am excited to share with the ideas that spark my inspiration that brings both sides together. It's my take on what I believe is on trend, while staying in line with a well-revered, Japanese tradition-"

Sora paused, noticing that Dora-senpai raised her hand.

"I've heard enough of this, Takenouchi. I must say how ashamed I am to admit, I expected much more from you today."

Sora was confused. "I'm sorry, Dora-senpai. I'm not sure what you mean."

"Well, I had been given the impression for as long as you've worked under me that you were going to walk in with more than just three pieces of unrefined fabric and a small poster board with whatever minimal sketches you can fit. Furthermore, I'm afraid what you are attempting to show us now is something we have already seen today."

Sora dropped her arms to her sides, feeling the color draining from her face.

"Y...You're joking, right?" Sora asked, knowing full well that Dora-senpai was never one to be humorous at any given time.

"What you have been explaining to us this whole time has already been presented, word for word. You haven't shown us the other side of that board, but if we didn't stop you, we would be having a repeat showing of kimonos."

Sora stopped herself from collapsing to the ground. She didn't want to believe it then, but she had to. Someone broke into her drawer, and used her portfolio as their own. She looked down at the floor, her hands balled into clenched fists.

"I am truly, terribly disappointed in you, Sora," Dora-senpai said. "Trying to steal another's work as your own. What do you have to say for yourself?"

"It was stolen from me," Sora whispered, her voice trembling.

"Excuse me?"

"It was  _stolen from me_ ," she repeated, her voice louder with the trembling anger rising. The promotion didn't matter to her anymore—she already knew she was out of consideration for it. All that mattered was that she needed to convince Dora-senpai, and the other two judges, that it was her work they saw earlier. "Dora-senpai, you  _know_ my work ethic, you  _know_ my style and the colors I like to put together." Sora then went over to her poster board, detaching the colored sketches and running over to Dora-senpai to show her. "I would  _never_ steal from anyone. My work is my own."

Sora noticed Haru-sensei observing the sketches and appeared to want to say something, however Dora-senpai held the sketches in front of Sora, tearing them both into pieces right in front of her.

" _Dora-senpai-!"_  Sora exclaimed in shock.

"Your work is a sham," Dora-senpai said. "I am sorry, but I cannot watch you insult another's hard work and creativity while you claim it as yours. Your work ethic, your style, your colors… I knew you were too good to be true, after all."

"You have to believe me…" Sora's eyes stung with tears as she looked over to Shiro-san's disappointed stare, and Haru-sensei's sad gaze.

"Needless to say, you're out of the running for the promotion," said Dora-senpai. "You might as well pack your desk up. And you should apologize to Aki-chan, as well."

Sora stared at Dora-senpai in shock.

"Aki-chan…?"

"She presented a marvelous portfolio, even shared a heartwarming story about bonding with her mother, and how she dedicated this proposed collection to her. Who knew you were so cold-hearted, Takenouchi."

_Takenouchi Sora... Cold-hearted..._

Sora left the room without another word, too angry to even speak. She stared at the ground in front of her, feeling all eyes staring as she walked down the aisle to her desk. She brought out the bookbag she kept at her desk, and began to dump the items into her bag. She didn't keep too many personal items in there. The sketchbook and packs of colored pencils were hers, but who knew if she was going to use them anymore from this point on.

She cleared the top of her desk, her hand falling on a framed picture of her friends, and another of her together with her mother…

What was she going to tell them all?

"Well, this can't be a good sign."

Sora stopped as she put the second picture frame into her bag. She turned in her chair to see Aki, her arms crossed on her chest, her smile unapologetic, her face no longer the friendly face that she had grown to trust.

"The judges seemed to love your portfolio," said Sora, trying to hold her composure.

"Getting it done was easier than I thought," said Aki, her smile now taunting to Sora. "Like I said, Sora. I've got my ways to get ahead, so I used them. You made a mistake in trusting someone like me, because it's  _so good_  to see you crumble."

Sora kept her stare on Aki, but her jaw clenching. She realized then, what emotion Aki hid earlier—It was of her cruel satisfaction of Sora's loss for her gain.

"I was told to apologize to you," said Sora, zipping her bag and standing up to face her.

"So you should. For wanting to try to be me."

"Oh, no," said Sora. her fists now clenching again. "It's for ruining your pretty face."

"Excuse m-"

Sora threw her fist at Aki, directly hitting her square in the nose. Aki cried out as she fell to the floor, covering her face in her pain.

"Admit it, Aki!" Sora yelled at Aki as she writhed on the ground. "Tell them all what you did!"

"I did nothing wrong, you cold-hearted bitch!" Aki said through her whimpers. "You're just making the day even worse for yourself!"

_I'm cold-hearted…_

Sora looked up and around her again as she wrung the hand that punched Aki, Dora-senpai was out of the conference room now, with her hands on her hips. Shiro-san was behind her, with his look of utmost disapproval, and Haru-sensei…

Sora threw the three pieces of colored fabric off of her and against Aki on the ground. She grabbed her purse and her bookbag and stomped through the aisle, not caring about the startled and disapproving stares on her as she passed by.

"Don't even bother firing me," Sora said angrily to Dora-senpai's stern gaze. "I quit."

She stormed out, the anger still on her face as she walked into the elevator and as it made its way down to the lobby. Of all the worst things that could happen, of all days it could, it happened when she least expected it, from someone she least expected it from.

It was a fall she didn't think she would ever had to prepare for.

She was seething as Aki's face appeared in her mind, talking about how 'cutthroat' the fashion industry was. How could she not have seen it then…?

The elevator door opened, and her friend Ichigo walked in as Sora walked out.

"Sora, what happened?" he asked with a frown.

Ichigo's concern melted her anger away, and her throat closed up, with more tears waiting to burst from behind her eyes. She bit her lip, shaking her head as she looked away from him.

"I appreciate all you've done for me," she said through her quiver, walking away from him, even as he held the elevator door from closing to call her name.

She had to get out of this building. Out of the business sector. Out of downtown. It was only approaching noon, but she wanted to get on the train to be as far away from this place. When she walked down the steps, she struggled to keep a straight face, holding down her emotions from exploding. The string of her purse hung onto her shoulder, and she clutched onto her bookbag against her chest, because at least it was something she could keep holding onto, and it gave her the feeling that at least not everything was just taken away from her.

"Ma'am?" she heard in front of her, and Sora stopped. She recognized the young woman standing before her. The formal outfit with the skimpy skirt, the neat hair bun, the baby face with the heavy makeup, not with a look of mockery, but a look of worry…

Sora walked on, speeding up her pace. The train station couldn't come soon enough.

It was the longest train ride home. Her eyes were already watering, but luckily, no one around her bothered to ask why. Then, as she walked up to her front door, she noticed a piece of paper taped to it, reminding her that rent was due this week.

Her heart couldn't sink further than it already had. She walked through her door and closed the door behind her, walking out of her shoes, and dropping both bags before walking further in.

Rent was due, and she had just lost her job.

How was her apartment already this cold?

Sora dragged her feet on her way to the thermostat to turn the dial, slipping off her skirt, her top, her stockings. The heater didn't turn on.

_Cold-hearted, they said…_

She tried going into her kitchen, turning the kettle on to heat up the water. She stared in her kitchen drawer at her collection of tea leaves, coffee grinds, and cocoa powder. Any of these could warm her up, but only for so long. None of them could turn back time and take away the coldness that fell upon her, just like that.

The kettle clicked off as the water boiled, but Sora walked away from the kitchen, leaving the drawer open. It was still cold with the three blankets she crawled underneath in her bed, but it didn't matter anymore. The only warmth she felt then was from the tears finally escaping her eyes as she rested against her pillow, because she felt that that was all that was left for her to do.

* * *

Sora stayed in bed the rest of the day, letting herself cry as much as her heart could take. She watched the light of the sun dim her room as it set into the evening, and she didn't even bother turning the lights on. What was the point, anyway?

She left her phone in her purse the whole time, but had no desire to pick it up to check it. Nothing that anyone could tell her would change anything now. She wanted to be left alone, and she hoped that staying silent sent that message across.

It was only a few hours into the evening when she found out that it the message failed, as she heard a banging against her front door.

"Sora! Sora, open this door!"

Sora kept her eyes open, recognizing his voice. His demanding voice that implied how stubborn he was, and that he wouldn't listen to any message of hers, anyway. She remained silent, and buried her face in her pillow.

His rapping never stopped.

"Sora, please! You haven't answered your phone. Everyone's worried about you..."

"Go away, Tai!" she yelled, muffled through her blankets.

" _Please,_ Sora. I've been worried about you all day. At least show me that you're alright."

Sora sat up on her bed, taking note of the sound of worry in his voice. She realized that she had been wearing only a bra and her panties the whole time. She knew she looked a mess, but as she put on an oversized shirt and sweatpants, maybe letting Tai see her would at least ease his mind a little bit.

But when she opened the door, she saw him in his casual plaid over shirt and jeans, his already anxious stare worsening the moment he saw her.

"Geez, Sora, what happened?" he asked.

"I don't want to talk about it right now," was her response as she turned from the door, and Tai followed her in.

"You're a mess, Sora."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"It's cold in here - Sora, you're cold…"

Tai took her arm just under her shirt sleeve, which stopped her from stepping away. His palm was warm against the chill she felt from the room around her.

"The heater's broken, for some reason. Just my luck, isn't it?"

She heard herself speak. It was as though the kindness in her voice had left her.

"Sora… I've never seen you this way."

She turned to Tai, confused at his statement. Surely, she had a meltdown as serious as this before. She closed herself off from her friends for a few days, even as they offered to help her. She didn't lash out, but she told them all to leave her be, and let her drown in her own sorrow. How could he not have seen her like this, for as long as they've known each other-

It occurred to her then, the longer she looked at him. The only other time she had a meltdown like this, was right after their breakup.

"You weren't there the last time," she said, her tone icy.

Tai no longer looked worried, but his expression now heated. "Why the hell are you bringing this up now, Sora? I came over to check on you, and, geez, just look at yourself right now!"

"I don't have to, Tai!" Sora yelled back, her tears bursting with her shouting. "I already know! My mascara is dripping down, my hair is tangled and frizzy - I look like a  _wreck!_  I dropped my bags and let everything spill, the kitchen is a mess, the heater's broken, It's  _fucking freezing_  but what does it matter?!"

"Sora…" Tai appeared calmer, but his worried expression returned.

"You probably already figured it out. I didn't get the promotion. I lost it. I lost the promotion. I lost my job. I'm going to lose this apartment, too. So I'm sorry, Tai. I'm sorry if this bothers you! I'm sorry for acting so… so…"

Sora plopped onto the couch, the word that haunted her all day appearing in her mind.

"Cold-hearted…" she admitted quietly, letting fresh tears fall onto her lap. She didn't hear Tai say anything at first. She expected to hear his footsteps walk further away, and out the door to leave her be, especially after how she was treating him.

But she heard him approach the couch, and she felt him sit beside her, his arm falling around her shoulder.

"The Sora I know could never be cold-hearted," he said, softly and gently. "She would rant about feeling cold, sure, but she's always got a heart of gold."

"I don't feel that way," she said, crying as he rubbed her back. "Everything is just so cold right now. Like it's never going to change."

"Right now, maybe…" Tai pulled her toward him, and she found herself crying into his shirt. "But, you're Sora. You'll always find a way to get away from the cold."

She felt guilty, soaking his white shirt with tears and smudging the remainder of her mascara residue on it. But somehow, his soothing words, the warmth of his embrace for her as she cried, only made her want to believe in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was full of hurt and betrayal and it was painful writing it.  
> I posted this on Christmas Day, exactly the opposite of what I said I was going to do.  
> I'm sorry if I ruined Christmas.  
> You might see the other story floating about, "Colors in Christmas" - go read that one to brighten your spirits.  
> Thanks for reading!!  
> Stay warm. <3


	11. [the least i could do]

When her tears finally stopped flowing, Sora went to her bathroom to clean herself up. She cleared up the mess of mascara down the sides of her face and wiped off the rest of her makeup, only leaving her, sore, puffy eyes and her reddened cheeks from crying so much. As she brushed her hair and let it fall to the top of her shoulders, she noticed the air began to feel warmer.

"Hey, the heater's working again," Tai called from the other room.

"Thank goodness," Sora said aloud.

She walked out of her bathroom and found Tai in the kitchen, standing in front of a frying pan on her stove with noodles and various other ingredients thrown in. The kettle clicked with boiled water, and a mug was already set out on the counter.

"I'm making chow mein," he said, picking up the pan to flip the noodles about. "The easiest thing to make in Beijing."

Sora prepared tea leaves in her pot and poured the hot water in, but found herself watching Tai, impressed.

"You never did cook much," she said.

"You were the cook between the two of us, anyway," he said with a smile. "There was no one out there to cook for me, though, so I had to do it on my own."

"No one, Tai?" she asked, daring herself and awaiting a response she knew she wouldn't like.

"No one. Not even when I dated Yu…"

Tai fell silent over the sizzle of the noodles. Sora searched his eyes from where she stood, but she couldn't read the blank stare, the stare that hid what he was about to say.

She heard a grumble then, and realized it was her stomach. All that crying, all that wallowing really took a lot out of her.

"Thanks for cooking for me, Tai," she said quietly.

"It was the least I could do," he said quietly back.

Tai already did so much for her. Sora didn't know how long she cried to him on the couch, but right after, he brought her a glass of water. She hadn't realized how parched she was. He picked up her bags from the front door and sat them on the couch next to her, and held her phone out to her, to which she shook her head to, at first.

And just now, he turned the knob on the stove, and whirled around to open the first cabinet in his line of sight. He closed it, not finding what he was looking for, and then opened the one next to it.

"Tai," Sora said, laughing a little when he stopped and turned to her. "The plates are in the third cabinet to your left. "Chopsticks are in the drawer right underneath you."

"I was trying to figure it out without bugging you, you know," he said. "I mean, I managed the frying pan and the fridge on my own…"

"I know. I'm so proud of you, Taichi-kun."

Sora brought a tray with the pot and two mugs over to her small dining table, and Tai brought one the one plate of chow mein and chopsticks for Sora.

"Aren't you going to eat?" she asked.

"It's way past dinner time, Sora," he said. "Besides, it's all yours, and I know you haven't eaten."

The growling in her stomach gave her no time for her heart to melt.

"Help yourself to some tea," she told him. She took a bite of the noodles then, and felt immediate relief from her severe pangs of hunger. It surprised her just how hungry she was, but her mind replayed the whole day, realizing that she hadn't eaten or drank anything since before leaving her apartment this morning.

She was glad to be filling her stomach now, and she was always pleasantly surprised at how good of a cook Tai was, even though he hardly liked to do it.

"This is delicious, Tai," she said, with her smile feeling more like her own, in contrast to her gloom she still felt around her.

"I'm glad you like it," he replied, his own smile making her feel a little warmer. It was amazing to her, maybe a little curious, that he sensed that something went wrong for her today. After munching on more of the chow mein from her chopsticks, she tilted her head as she looked at him.

"How did you know? That something was wrong?"

"Other than dead silence from you the whole day? I almost wanted to believe that you were too busy to reply back. But, believe it or not, it was just something my assistant told me on my way to lunch that didn't sit well with me the whole day."

"Your assistant?"

"She looked really worried, and said that she bumped into someone on her way back to the building, and that she looked really upset. She told me it was the older woman who visited me the other day."

"Your assistant…" Sora looked at Tai in disbelief. "I hate her." And then, Sora burst into laughter. Tai smiled back, now a little confused, but she continued to laugh, feeling disdain for the assistant she bumped into, but at the same time, feeling grateful for her.

Sora finished her plate to the last piece of cabbage, and as she sipped her tea, she decided it was time to look at her phone. She wasn't sure how she was going to tell Mimi, Matt, and the rest of her friends about what happened, but she had to check her messages first to figure out how to even start.

"Don't worry, Sora," said Tai. "I told everyone that you were okay."

"How much did you tell them?" she asked.

"I told them that you didn't get the promotion, and that you'll tell them the rest later."

"I see." she said. That was as much as Tai knew so far, either way. Sora took another sip of her tea, feeling glad that she didn't have to talk about her meltdown to her friends at that moment. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell them - she just didn't feel like explaining the wrong that had been done to her, not when it was still fresh on her mind.

"They were all up in arms about me coming here, you know," he added, sipping his own mug.

Sora set her mug down. "Why's that?"

"They suspected something went wrong today, just like I had, and they thought it would be best to leave you alone."

"...And yet, you showed up anyway."

Tai lowered his eyes to the ground, looking defiant, and a little guilty. "...I almost got into a fight with Matt. Joe had to step between us."

"Tai…" Sora moved her chair closer to him, wanting to look into his eyes. Questions arose into her mind from him mentioning Matt, and even Joe. Were all her friends together, at Mimi and Izzy's, at that? She knew Tai had a temper, and he was good at controlling himself, but if he got into a fight, especially with Matt, she knew he must have been really upset, and that he wasn't going to listen to anyone, not when he had his mind set on something.

Like banging on her door to see her.

"You didn't have to fight about this, Tai, not about me…"

"But I did, Sora. And I'm glad I did. I can't imagine how you would be if I left you alone. I never thought I'd be so afraid…"

_Tai…? Afraid…?_

Sora had never seen him afraid. She had seen him angry, of course. She had seen him worried, maybe about an exam he didn't think he would pass, or an interview for a job. But the look in his eyes now as he looked back at her, the fear behind them and the angst she could see...

Sora took held his hand on the table, feeling her tears stream down her own eyes.

"Tell me what happened, Sora," Tai said, squeezing her hand back.

So she told him, starting from the moment she discovered her portfolio was gone from her desk, to the moment she ran out of the building and then left downtown for good. Tai watched her with concern as more tears flooded down her cheeks, and his hand massaging hers as he continued to hold it.

But by the end of the story, Tai let go of her hand, and stood up from the table.

"What are you doing?" Sora asked.

"I need to talk to her," he said darkly, and she couldn't see his eyes as he started toward the door.

"No, Tai." Sora stood up and put her hand against his chest to stop him. "Don't you realize how late it is? There's nothing you can do right now."

"Well, then, I'll march up there tomorrow morning and have a chat with the operations manager or something-"

" _Tai_ , don't be crazy-"

"How can I not do anything? How can you not, Sora? Aki  _sabotaged_ your career. I can't just stand here and watch everything that you worked up to just crash and burn."

"Stop this, Tai! Don't do anything. Think about your own job, where you rank. Don't ruin that on my account."

"I don't care about any of that, Sora."

His eyes were fiery with anger, but Sora couldn't bear seeing him that way.

"Tai, please…" her tears kept flowing, but it was too much for her to show him. She leaned against him, her face hidden in his shirt once again. "I can't ever show my face there, ever again. Even Haru-sensei thinks I'm a fraud. My name is probably already on the blacklist. What makes you think that talking to her, talking to anyone is going to change things? I couldn't even convince any of those higher-ups on my own… So just stop, okay?"

Sora knew that Tai wanted to keep going. He refused to believe there was nothing that could be done for her now. She could tell that he was standing in front of her, trying to think of something to do as he listened to her sobs. But, to her relief, he said nothing. All he did was wrap his arms around her and held her tightly, because he knew ultimately that it was the best way to comfort her.

"Okay," he said, and she felt him lower his head on top of hers, as though he was a kid cradling his teddy bear. It was what he liked to do for as long as she could remember, probably all the way back in high school, when they were still friends, and she cried over the stress of falling behind in her schoolwork. It calmed her down, but she knew it calmed him down even more.

"Besides…" she continued. "I punched Aki in the face before I walked out."

She could hear Tai laughing over her.

"…'Atta girl."

Tai stayed a while after, picking up her plate and cleaning up the tea from the table and washing them up for her.

"You better talk to Mimi," he said as he lathered and rinse the dishes. "She's been freaking out. Everyone was at Izzy and Mimi's tonight."

"Everyone was there for me, weren't they?" Sora asked, and she couldn't help but feel remorseful, after not showing up, and not telling anyone why.

"They'll understand, Sora." Tai rubbed her shoulder in comfort. Then, he walked away to put the leftover chow mein in the fridge. "Oh, I almost forgot. I made sure to bring these over before I left Mimi. I put them in the fridge while you were in the bathroom."

Tai took out a large paper bag from the fridge. Sora watched, anticipating that it was a couple of Mimi's apple pies. Only then, as he looked into the bag, he stopped from reaching in.

"Shit," Tai said to himself, and Sora furrowed her eyebrows.

"What is it, Tai?"

He looked at Sora and grinned nervously. "Never mind, Sora. You… probably don't want these." He closed the bag, lifting it from the counter and was ready to leave the kitchen.

"Nuh uh, Tai," she said, forcing the bag back down. "Let me see. I want to know what you brought me-"

She opened the bag, and sure enough, there were pies in there. Three of them. However, none of them had any sign of apple filling, nor were they topped with a lattice crust. She could smell as she looked at each one, with its orange-brown filling - the cinnamon, the nutmeg, and the-

"Pumpkin? You brought me pumpkin pie?"

"I messed up, Sora. I took out the pies from Mimi's fridge, but I didn't check them. I swear, I thought I was bringing you the apple…"

"You idiot."

Sora began to laugh at Tai's mistake. She imagined him arguing with Mimi and the rest of her friends about her, and laughed harder as she pictured him leaving the apple pies for the pumpkin.

Tai stared at her, dumbfounded as she laughed.

"Mimi's going to kill me," he said with a frown.

"Oh, you better watch your back, Tai," she said as she caught her breath between laughs. "You pretty much took Mimi's favorites away, so prepare for her wrath."

"It's not funny."

Sora's laughter died down as she saw the grumpy look now on Tai's face. "She might be unforgiving, Tai," she said. "But don't worry. I'll bring them back to her. And I'll calm her down before she gets to you."

She stared at him, wondering if he was disappointed for bringing her the wrong pies. It was just another thing he did for her tonight, and it only made her smile at him, and even brought her to kiss his cheek. His eyes met hers, and he looked at her in surprise, but why should he be? Every one of her friends meant well, and they all tried to stop him from bothering her, yet he still tried to charge in.

She was glad that he did.

"Thanks, Tai," she whispered, as she pulled him into a hug.

"Move in with me," he said, suddenly.

Sora broke away from their hug and looked back at him, startled. "What?"

"I just realized it. I have an extra room. I don't even know how long I'll be living there, either, so I doubt I could think of any use for it now. You can stay there. At least, until you can get back on your feet."

"Move in… with you?"

"Why not? We've lived with each other before."

"Tai… that was different. We were dating then…" Sora walked away from him. "I could move back into my parents'. Maybe find something cheaper than this place."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sora. You've always said you never wanted to move back home. That you feel like you…"

Tai stopped himself from saying it, but Sora looked at him as she whispered it herself.

"...failed."

But before she could start wallowing again, Tai grabbed her shoulders.

"You can find a new job, and I can help you, if you need it. You can pay me for the room, too. I know you'd want to. But, just letting you know, staying for free is an option, too."

Sora chuckled.

"We'll be roommates, but we'll have our own rooms anyway," Tai continued. "So you can do your own thing, and I'll leave you alone as much as you want. But, I promise I'll keep my room clean."

Sora was laughing now, and Tai continued to stare at her, waiting for her answer.

"You've already done so much for me, Tai," she said.

"You've done a lot for me all these years, too, Sora. Let me return the favor, for once. I mean… what are friends for, right?"

_Friends, huh…?_

Sora couldn't answer, but thankfully, Tai didn't push her to answer more. She dealt with enough emotions for one day.

As she walked Tai to the door, she stayed quiet, but he turned to her and she gave him one more parting hug.

"Get some sleep, Sora," he said. "Don't forget to eat. Call Mimi when you can. And… Think about it, okay?"

Then, he lifted his hand slowly, his eyes drifting to her cheek as his hand stopped mid-air, and resting it on her shoulder.

"I will, Tai," she said, wanting to hold his hand again, but refrained from doing so.

"Let me know."

Tai walked out, and Sora closed the door. She leaned against it, waiting to hear the sound of his footsteps walking away. Maybe his steps were muted against the carpet, but she had a thought, maybe a wishful thought, that as she leaned against her front door, Tai was leaning against the other side of it.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, you can only speculate where this might be going...What do you think? :x
> 
> I felt that this chapter stood on its own. Poor Sora is in shambles right now. I didn't want to put *too* much drama into this chapter, so I hope I didn't overload you. In the next chapter, we'll hear from the friends on what they think about Tai's suggestion (you can imagine, after what went down before Tai got to Sora this evening...)
> 
> Thanks for reading up to now! :) Hope you're warm, wherever you are as you read this.
> 
> 'Til I next spam the Digimon tags ;)
> 
> Stay warm <3


	12. [into your own graves]

It was odd for Sora to wake up to her alarm on Tuesday morning. She had forgotten to turn it off, and it only gave her a painful reminder of why she didn't have to go into work that morning.

She couldn't fall asleep right away the night before, so she wrapped herself underneath her blankets and went over rest of the messages she missed out on from the day before. Most of them were from Mimi, Tai, and Matt, and even a few from TK.

Sora sat up from her bed, running a list of things she could do at that very moment: get dressed and go jogging; have a cup of coffee and read a book; start looking at job listings…

It was Tuesday morning. This list wouldn't have existed in her head if she still had a job to go to. Feeling ashamed, she thought about going back to bed, and so, she fell right back in.

But, she knew she couldn't lay there and listen to her nagging, sorrowful thoughts in her head. Knowing Mimi would be up at this hour, Sora picked up her phone and pushed the screen to call her.

"Thank goodness, you're okay," Mimi said, sounding relieved.

"Didn't Tai tell you I was okay?" Sora asked.

"He did. I just wanted to hear it for myself. I knew you'd call when you were ready. Do you need anything? Oh—you must be going into work."

"I quit, Mimi."

"What?! I thought it was just the promotion…"

Sora lay on her side, closing her eyes, forcing herself to admit it. Taking a deep breath, she recounted the events again to Mimi, who let out a loud gasp after hearing what Aki did.

"Why, that little—! I cannot  _believe—!_ Word for word, Sora?! She better not have called me her 'best friend'! Oh,  _no!_ She better watch her back, because she's about to have another thing coming-! Izzy, take me to the train station! I have to go downtown for a bit—!"

"Mimi,  _no,_ " Sora said. "Don't cause any trouble. I already had to talk Tai down last night."

"Don't even get me started on that boy, Sora! I'm already worked up as it is! He almost broke one of my vases in the living room with Matt, and then he took my  _pumpkin pies…"_

"Mimi, breathe," Sora said wearily.

"I'm sorry, Sora, I am just so upset! I'm supposed to make calls today for updates on everything for the wedding. I can't call them if I'm ready to explode on someone!"

To Sora, it seemed as though Mimi was ready to explode on someone all the time, especially since the wedding was only a month away. Sora knew that she wanted to blow off steam, and it didn't help that one of Mimi's sources of comfort was taken away and was currently sitting in Sora's fridge.

"How is everything with the wedding, Mimi?" Sora sat up from her bed, keeping her blankets wrapped around her.

Mimi went on to tell Sora that she wanted to make sure the chef was doing okay with the cake, and that the wedding dress was going to be ready for her final fitting in two weeks. There was no update on the dresses for the maid of honor and the bridesmaids, but she was at least confident about the string quartet for the ceremony, Matt's band as her music for the reception, and the flower arrangements from Sora's mom.

"Oh, Sora, I hope I'm not being more of a burden to you, talking about all of this…" Mimi said then.

"No, Mimi. I needed this. Do you need me to do anything?"

If anything, Sora welcomed Mimi's venting. It was something to help keep her mind out of her own head. She was hoping Mimi would tell her more, but she fell into surprise when she heard Mimi sniffling.

"I can't believe this happened, Sora! To you, of all people! You deserve so much more…"

Sora wrapped her blankets tighter around her, feeling her own tears fall again.

"I know. Thanks, Mimi."

They chatted until Sora told Mimi to go about her day, and Mimi said her goodbyes, telling Sora not to worry about the pies for the time being. The next person Sora called was Matt, who sounded like she had just woken him up.

"Sora," he said with a rasp in his voice.

"Matt, were you sleeping?" she asked. "I didn't mean to wake you. I'll call back later if you want."

"No, no. It's good to hear from you. What's going on?"

Sora couldn't remove the image of him and Tai arguing from her mind.

"I just wanted to know if you were alright."

"Me, Sora?" Suddenly, Matt sounded more awake. "I should be asking you that question."

Sora sighed. "I'm not. I told Mimi everything. I'll let her update you."

"Fair enough. As long as you're reaching out, I'm okay."

"Thanks, Matt. I'm sorry for causing you trouble last night. With Tai, and all…"

Sora heard Matt sound out a scoff mixed with a laugh. "Sora, you're getting it all wrong. You're actually apologizing for that idiot. He really riled us all up yesterday. I'm sorry if caused  _you_ too much trouble. We knew something terrible happened to you, but..."

"He didn't though… He helped me out. A lot."

"Did he, really?"

"He did."

She remembered all that Tai did for her, and the warmth brought a smile to her cheeks.

"He even offered the extra room at his place, Matt," she said.

"What do you mean?"

"I have to give my apartment up soon. It's all a mess right now. But, you know, since I need a place to stay…"

Sora heard nothing but silence on the other end.

"Matt?"

"When are you moving out?"

"Well, I haven't thought about it yet, but sometime soon. Maybe the end of this week."

"Have you decided yet, Sora? If you're going to move in with him?"

"I don't know, Matt. It was really sweet of him to offer."

Matt didn't respond immediately again, and Sora could sense what he was thinking. She knew he was going to protest, and she was already bracing herself for his argument. He continued his silence, and then, he started talking again.

"I know you've got a lot on your mind right now, but I hope you sit on that one for as much as you can."

"I will."

"I have to go. I've got band rehearsal today, but my phone is always nearby. Call me if you need anything."

"I will. Thanks, Matt."

Sora should have known Matt would be considerate. He wasn't going to force an argument with her, not when she was running on a fragile heart and mind at that point. For that, she was grateful to have a friend like him.

She sent a text to TK afterward, and he replied with an offer of a hazelnut latte to brighten her day. She even ended up calling her mother to tell her the whole story, bursting into tears the moment her mother picked up.

"Sora, dearest," her mother told her in her soothing, comforting tone. "Just know you'll always have a spot here if you decide to move back in with us. I could also use your help with Mimi's wedding flowers. I could pay you for that."

"You know I would help you for free, Mom," said Sora, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I've always been proud of you. Don't let the cruelty of this world bring you down."

It was mid-morning by the time she ended the conversation with her mother. With her mood improved, Sora decided to get out of bed then, and thought that going through her mental checklist would be good for her. She went for that jog, then ate some of Tai's chow mein for lunch. In the afternoon, she started browsing some job listings, and then, she went over to the couch with a mug of hot chocolate and started a new book.

In the evening, Sora noticed a few messages show up on her phone. One of them, which brought a smile to her face, was from Tai.

" _How are you holding up?"_ he asked.

" _I'm okay."_ She replied. _"Keeping my spirits up with that Beijing-style chow mein."_

" _Awesome. I can always make you more. :)"_

The other message was from Mimi.

" _Hey, I don't want to trouble you, but do you think you can bring the pies over tomorrow night? I've got some apple pies here for you, too, of course."_

" _I have time tonight,"_  was Sora's response to her. " _I can bring them over now if you'd like."_

" _No. Tomorrow's better."_

Mimi was always one for details. But, Sora couldn't help but wonder why she spared them this time. Perhaps, it was just the nature of text messages, where tone could be misinterpreted.

Or maybe, Sora's suspicion went on, that Mimi was scheming something, and didn't want to tell her just yet.

It wasn't until Wednesday evening, after spending most of the day submitting online job applications and reading more of her book, that she found out that her suspicion was correct. The moment she walked into Izzy and Mimi's house, holding the paper bag of pumpkin pies in her hands, Sora found herself staring at more eyes than just Izzy's and Mimi's.

"Don't do it, Sora!" came a voice from a dark pair of eyes, from his tall, lanky build, and his hair a navy blue color. Sora was taken aback, and before she had time to react, Matt appeared in front of her, his stare apologetic.

"I'll get that for you," he said, taking the bag off of her hands. "And, I'm sorry," he added as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"Joe!" said Mimi, who Sora turned to then, seeing that she was fuming. "Calm down, okay?"

"Sora," came another voice, much more calm and collected, her voice warm as Sora heard it. She appeared in front of Sora, her soft brown eyes staring with concern, with no mistake to her short, brown hair. "How are you?"

"I'm okay, Kari," Sora replied, giving her a hug. "It's been a while."

"At least Kari's got her head on straight in doing things in order," Mimi said in a huff, hugging Sora after. "Hi, sweetie."

"What in the world is going on, Mimi?" Sora asked, observing that Matt now stood next to Joe, Izzy was on the couch, and TK was standing by the fireplace.

Tai wasn't there.

Mimi looked to the side as she pulled away from her hug. "They know. I told them everything."

Sora was going to ask what Mimi meant by 'everything', and then—

"And I say, you're absolutely out of your mind if you move in with him, Sora!"

"...It's great to see you too, Joe," said Sora, trying to put together what was going on.

Mimi was still upset. "I told you to be calm about this, Joe!"

"How can anyone be calm about this?!"

" _Guys_ ," said Sora, starting to get agitated. "Start from the beginning. Please."

Joe's head was in his hands. Mimi's arms were crossed and her nose was turned up, too angry to talk. The others exchanged hesitant glances.

Matt stepped forward. "Mimi told me what happened, and I told her that you might be moving in with Tai. That's why Joe is in a panic and Mimi's frustrated. Mimi wanted all of us to come down here, to help you… see straight."

Sora looked at all of them, aghast. "...So, is that what this is? An intervention?"

"Sora, you've always been the smarter one between you and Tai," Izzy said. "I know living with Tai might be the most logical option, considering that you've lived together before, but, is it the most reasonable one?"

Sora's face fell after connecting the dots.

"Do you all think this is a bad idea?"

Joe massaged his scalp before letting his hands fall. "Let's put it this way. Sora, I don't know where you stand with him, but do you know where he stands with you?"

Sora paused, thinking back to the night of the happy hour. The housewarming and the movie. The chow mein.

"He wants to be friends," she concluded with a shrug. "And, so do I."

Joe looked to Matt. then to Mimi, then back to Sora, with a cautious look the whole time. "Sora, Tai's feelings have never changed for you."

Sora stared at Joe with indifference, but she wasn't sure how she should react to this. There was a strange tingling in her stomach, something she didn't want to acknowledge.

"I don't know if I believe that," said Sora. "If that was true, he would tell me."

"He's not going to admit it to us up front," explained Joe. "He's going to throw his tantrum like he did the other night, but won't say anything outright. He's certainly not going to admit it to you. Moving in with him is not going to help him. And it's not going to help you, either."

"He nearly broke down my door the other night, Joe!" she argued. "He knows where I stand, but he at least cares for me. You have to at least see that."

"Tai isn't going to do that for just anyone, Sora," Kari said, her words less scathing.

Joe continued to stare her down, now with more worry than his eyes had before. "Sora… Don't you remember the last time you went dark on us like that? Why Tai wouldn't have possibly realized the reason you acted this way?

Matt looked to him. "Joe…"

Sora looked at everyone else's somber expressions. Matt started to look remorseful again, but Joe stared as though he was waiting for her to admit it. She didn't want to, but, knowing Joe, he knew he was going to make her admit it with reason.

"...It was after the breakup with him," she confessed, feeling her heart being clenched. "The breakup that I thought was best, and that I wanted…"

Of course Joe would bring up the breakup. At the time, she had been working for that up-and-coming brand as the full-time assistant to the fashion director. It was an upgrade from being part-time at a retail clothing store at the mall, so the pay was phenomenal in comparison. But assisting the director consumed all of her time, past the full-time hours, past the overtime, past the little time she could have spent with Tai. She always came home late, either to see Tai already in bed, or to an argument with him that she always ended up regretting.

Sora remembered quitting that job after a few months of feeling underappreciated for all her hard work, but even then, the angry words between her and Tai were already exchanged. Neither of them was in a place of understanding, and even without that job, she felt that Tai didn't deserve her lashing out at him when she was trying to figure out that part of her life. She loved him too much to see him hurt by her that way.

That was why Sora decided they should break up. And, saying nothing to counter, Tai agreed.

And that was, perhaps, why Joe brought up the breakup. She and Tai still lived together with Matt at that time. It was the ugliest side of her she wished she never showed him, and Joe wanted to remind her that living with him might bring it back.

"Do you still want it that way?" Joe asked.

"I do…" Sora said, saddened by the memories, but now fully recognizing Joe's intent.

"Tai sure as hell hasn't realized this, but I know you can at least see reason before either of you dig yourself further into your own graves."

We'll support you, whatever you decide, Sora," said Mimi. "Just… be careful, okay?"

"Don't worry, Mimi, I will be." Sora's voice was quiet as she continued to run through the breakup in her head. She moved out first, and moved into Mimi and Izzy's, not leaving their guest bedroom for most of her stay. When she did, she helped herself to the vodka in their liquor cabinet, after eating only a bowl of rice without bothering to find any other food to go with it. Somehow, it was bad enough for Matt to join Mimi the morning after, as Sora threw it all up and couldn't stop crying.

Izzy was the first to hug Sora, after she realized there were tears falling from her cheeks from those memories. TK joined in next, followed by Kari, then Mimi, and eventually, Matt.

"I shouldn't have brought it up," said Joe, joining the group hug last, and Sora heard the misery in his voice. "You've had a rough week already."

"We're here for you, Sora," said Izzy. "The guest room is still yours to acquire, if you don't want the fireplace, that is."

"I've got a sleeping bag I can use if you want to sleep in my dorm," said TK.

Sora sniffled, but not before laughing.

"I don't have a fireplace," Matt chimed in. "But you're always welcome to hang out and sleep on my couch."

"There's room at my and Mika's apartment for you to crash, too," added Joe.

"We love you, Sora," Mimi said.

"You guys…" Sora said, letting her tears fall as she felt the warmth at the center of her friends' embrace.

As they all parted, Mimi took Sora's hand and brought her to the kitchen.

"I hope you're hungry, Sora," she said, opening the fridge to show each rack full of stacks of takeaway boxes. "I got carried away on Monday night. I was planning a surprise dinner for you with everyone. I ordered a bunch of miso soup and ginger pork, all kinds of stuff from your favorite restaurant…"

Sora turned to Mimi, smiling and wrapping her arms around Mimi's waist. "Let's eat it together, then. We can't let all of this go bad."

TK and Izzy joined Sora with helping Mimi setting the dining table and heating up the food. As she placed a huge bowl of ginger pork on the table, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see Matt carrying the cooked rice over.

"You good?" he asked, and Sora gave him a small smile and nodded.

"I'm alright, TK, it's not like I'm going to fall out of my chair in the next few seconds," Sora heard then, and she and Matt turned to a giggling Kari who was being followed closely by TK.

"You have a fetus growing inside of you, Kari," TK said defensively. "We have to look out for you."

"Ten weeks, right?" Joe said, appearing at the table to seat himself. "It might technically still be an embryo."

Kari took hold of a dining chair, but TK stopped her to hold it out for her. "Fetus or embryo, Mini Kari has to be treated with extra care."

"Already making nicknames, TK?" Kari said, laughing at his sheepish smile as he sat next to her. Sora then looked to Matt, exchanging knowing glances before they both seated themselves at the table for dinner.

Everyone ate and talked as they normally did around the dining table. TK and Kari seldomly got picked on being two of the youngest, but Joe became the center of attention, being that he missed out on their gatherings the most. He fretted that he didn't want to overwhelm them with any of his doctor stories, then proceeded to talk about his last operation that he worried would go wrong.

Sora always listened to him with her full attention along with a smile, even as Matt smacked his palm to his forehead saying that Joe worried too much. Joe complained some more, and the sound of Mimi's laughter rang across the dining room. Sora was glad to be surrounded by her friends then, comforted by their presence.

Even though Tai wasn't there.

They all stayed a little while longer. Izzy went into his study, and Mimi sat on the arm of the couch, where Joe, Kari, and Matt chatted together. Sora joined TK by the fireplace, sitting back to back with him as he dove into a novel for class.

"' _Catcher in the Rye'_?" Sora asked as she turned her head to peer at the book cover.

"It's not too bad," TK said. "Despite the winter setting."

Soon, Kari stood up, and so did Joe, who said he had to leave, and he offered to take Kari home. Sora went up to hug Kari first, though tried to be delicate. Kari giggled.

"Don't worry about Mini Kari, Sora," she said cheerfully.

Then she turned to Joe, who gave her the tightest hug he had ever given her.

"You probably hate me after that, Sora," he said with a frown. "I just wanted you to be sure about what you decide."

Sora hugged him back warmly.

"Complete opposite," she said. "I love you, Joe."

Joe sighed. "I love you, too. I'm going to miss you in your own space. I'm sorry I haven't visited much."

"I understand. Don't be a stranger."

After one more hug, Joe and Kari walked out, and Sora turned to TK, who appeared by her side. The cheer he had from before dinner until that point seemed to disappear from his face then.

"You okay, TK?" she asked with a light nudge. "You look like you need a hot chocolate."

"I owe you a latte already, Sora," he said with a chuckle.

"How about another coffee date sometime soon?"

"Are you hitting on my brother again, Sora?" Matt said, showing up from behind them.

"Who wouldn't want to?" Sora asked, hugging TK and kissing his cheek. "He's adorable."

TK scrunched his face, but eventually smiled and laughed, making Sora smile with him.

Before Sora left, Mimi packed up leftover food for her, along with the apple pies that were meant for her in the first place. She put on her faux fur jacket with the hood over her head, and walked to the train station with Matt and TK.

TK parted ways with Sora and Matt at the station, and Matt joined her on the train for a few stops, sitting quietly with her before getting off at his stop. When he got up, he rubbed her shoulder in comfort.

"I'm glad he was there for you, Sora," said Matt with a smile before exiting the train.

She was left sitting on the train, with a paper bag full of food by her side. She sat by herself, cozy in her faux fur jacket, but thinking over the past few days, she was glad, knowing that she wasn't alone.

A beep and a buzz sounded in her pocket, and Sora reached in and took out her phone, seeing that a new message popped up.

" _Have you thought about it?"_

Sora stared at the screen, remembering her friends' concerns, her heart tugging at her own. But she also thought back to the night she nearly turned him away, only to end up crying in his arms. The way he listened to her, the way he held her hand...

She pressed her lips together, the decision already made in her head, and tapped her response, taking a deep breath before ultimately pushing the button to send.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Joe kinda showed up in your face. ^^; I always had that 'intervention' scene in mind to bring out the two S1 kids who had been previously mentioned only in passing. And I thought it was right to get into the breakup more here - hope it paints, *ahem* colors the picture for you more. Hehe. We're going into October now, so, of course it's gonna get colder. Perfect for sweater weather, don't you think? Just want you to keep that in mind for the next few chapters...
> 
> This week is going to be the coldest it's ever been this winter out here, but I love it! More inspiration for me ;) Thanks for reading, and thanks for reviewing & following! Glad you decided to join me. Please feel free to drop a review - tell me how the story's going for you, what you think might happen next, rage about Aki and Kaze, or even, I don't know, apple pie oreos, etc.
> 
> Happy New Year!


	13. [still impressed]

"So, you've decided, then."

"Yes, Matt, I have."

Matt visited Sora on Thursday afternoon offering to help her pack, A few boxes scattered the living room of her apartment, the apartment she would move out of the following Sunday. She had a few things to pack from each of her rooms, though most of her items were clothes, kitchenware, and books.

"I'm glad I don't have too much to move," said Sora, watching Matt carefully put some items into one of the boxes. "I hate moving. But it at least makes it easy if I have to move again."

Matt looked up at her. "Already thinking about moving out when you haven't even moved in? You'll hurt Tai's feelings."

Sora glared at him.

"You know what I mean," she said.

"I get it," Matt said, laughing at her scowl. "Nobody likes moving, anyway."

Sora took her glasses and mugs from the cabinets, carefully wrapping each one with newspaper as she continued chatting with Matt. She had submitted more job applications online earlier that day, and had already received a few rejection emails from her submissions the day before. It disheartened her, but at least moving out took her mind off of things for a little bit. Despite the fact that she decided to move in with Tai.

She thought about each of her friends' offers and admitted this all to Matt. Couch surfing with him, or borrowing TK's bed gave her too little space in a setting where anyone can disrupt her peace at any given time. Mimi and Izzy, Joe and his wife, Mika—Sora has lived as two-thirds couple before, and even though she loved these couples dearly, she wasn't keen on having to live with their ups and downs as Matt had done in the past. With Tai, she would have her own room, her own space and her own thoughts, and she would still have the fair amount of distance from her friends as she did in the apartment she was now moving out of.

And, yet...

"Are you sure you sat on this decision long enough, Sora?" Matt asked her, and Sora sighed and placed a wrapped mug on the counter.

"Well…I know what you're thinking," she replied. "But I want you to tell me right now. Am I completely out of my mind?"

Sora sat on top of the kitchen counter, next to a couple of her wrapped dishware as she waited for Matt to answer.

"Not if you know you want to be friends with him and keep it that way," he said, leaning back against the edge of the counter next to her. "In Izzy's words, it's 'logical,' and maybe even 'reasonable.' Everything might make sense in your head, but you have to consider what your heart is telling you, too. Listen to it, consider them both, and go from there."

Sora's expression changed then, her mouth opened at him in awe.

"Since when did you get to be so wise, Matt?"

"I have a wise friend who's given me really good advice a few times before. You might know her by the name of Sora."

Laughing, she gave Matt's shoulder a light push.

"Using my own words against me, Ishida?"

"Only when you need me to. And I think you need them now, more than ever."

_My heart… What is it saying?_

It had been a while since she truly paid attention. Trying to listen to it now, she wasn't sure.

"You  _are_  going to help me move on Sunday, right?" she asked then, hopping from the counter and grabbing the wrapped mug that Matt handed to her. "We could rent a truck and take everything in one trip."

"Of course. Tai and I will do our best not to drink too much on Saturday night. It's going to be a big night for Izzy."

"Oh? What's happening on that night? His birthday's not until April."

"We're throwing him his bachelor party, obviously."

 _Crash._  The mug Sora held dropped and shattered onto the tiled floor. Matt shot her a look of surprise, but she looked back at him with horror.

"A bachelor party?"

She had completely forgotten about Mimi's bachelorette party. One of the most essential duties for the Maid of Honor. Among the other items on the wedding list that she helped Mimi checked off, she hosted the bridal shower in August, which Mimi adored.

How could she have forgotten this?

Was it because of her complete concentration on her job? Was it trying to avoid everything else in her life, like dating? And Tai-

"Water?" Matt said. Sora blinked and snapped out of her rambling thoughts, seeing that Matt had held out a full glass of water in front of her, his other hand waving a paper fan closer to her face.

"I'm fine. I'm fine," she said, knowing she repeated herself. "Give me those," she said irritably, downing gulps of water, and fanning her face to cool off the sudden heat of her panic.

"You're lucky. I'm assuming that Mimi hasn't even hinted anything about it to you, judging by your current reaction. I, however, have heard her throw it in our conversations every single time we talk."

"Gawd, I'm so sorry, Matt."

"As far as she's concerned, she thinks you're going to surprise her, just like we plan to with Izzy."

Sora finished her water, and set the glass and fan on the counter behind her. She put her palm to her mouth, her other hand under her elbow, thinking deeply as Matt grabbed a broom to sweep the broken mug. She was no stranger to last minute plans, so this was something she was certain she could figure out.

She thought about what she and Mimi used to enjoy doing together at university. They still drank together during their girls' nights, but they didn't go out as much as they used to. She missed those weekend nights where Mimi burst through her front door all dressed up for a fun, crazy night, and Sora would jump at the opportunity to dress up herself, ready to join Mimi as they painted the town red…

" _I've got it,"_ Sora said, snapping her fingers.

"That didn't take too long," Matt replied looking amused, dumping the bits of the mug into the trash.

"She's going to love it!" Sora said, smiling and leaping in her excitement. "How are you going to surprise Izzy?"

Matt smirked. "Mimi's already in on it. Izzy thinks they're having a cozy date night at home. We're going to stage a kidnapping."

"Izzy's going to be terrified!" Sora put her hand on her forehead at the thought of Izzy's reaction. "But, it's the perfect set up for my plan."

"And? What does the brilliant Maid of Honor have in mind?"

* * *

Saturday arrived quickly, especially after spending the rest of Thursday and all of Friday preparing for the night. She called Mimi's three bridesmaids, who were fortunately all free that evening, and she told them their only requirement was to find a black dress to wear for the night, and not to wear any red, whatsoever. Sora was close to finished with packing up her closet, but made sure she left out the outfit she had in mind. She called a few places for reservations, and went to the shopping center and found the perfect dress she wanted Mimi to wear for the occasion.

Sora put on her own black cocktail dress, which hugged her hips and top cut off at the shoulders. She didn't like it that much, but it was a dress Mimi loved seeing her wear. Even with her black leather jacket, her dress and her matching ankle strapped pumps made her certain how cold she was going to be that evening. But, given that it was for Mimi, she was willing to make exceptions for her. Exceptions, including glances at her and her outfit on the train ride to Mimi and Izzy's. The attention made her uncomfortable, but she was grateful to have Mimi's dress in its garment bag to cover her chest and legs as consolation.

When Sora arrived at the front of the house, Joe and Matt showed up in their black and white formal attire.

"Way to show us up, Sora," Joe said, all of them turning to the limousine that had just pulled up behind Joe's dark gray SUV. "Do you think Mimi suspects anything?"

Matt glanced at Sora who pressed her lips together. It was hard for anyone to surprise Mimi, so Sora was hesitant to respond with confidence, even if she managed to convince Mimi with her false plans for the evening through text messages to ensure that she was free:

_**Sora:** _ _Are you doing anything on Saturday night?_

_**Mimi:** _ _Izzy's going out. I figured just I'll stay home and bake, or something._

Sora closed her eyes and sighed, knowing she never asked for help like this, and that she was using her current dilemma as a way of deceiving Mimi.

_**Sora:** _ _Can I come over? I just… really need my best friend right now._

_**Mimi:** _ _Of course, Sora! Did you really need to ask?_

Matt turned the door handle of the front door, which opened without a hitch. Sora could hear the murmurs of the TV playing in the living room. She peered through the crack of the door, seeing that Izzy, dressed in a nice suit, had just sat down on the couch next to Mimi, who was wearing pajamas.

"Is he really that clueless?" Sora muttered.

"Are we ready? Matt asked, his voice lowered to a whisper, handing a ski mask for each of them to wear and putting one over his head.

"Whenever you are," Joe said, holding a black blindfold.

"Let's do this," Sora said, stretching a red blindfold of her own.

The three of them nodded, and in the next moment, they burst the front door open causing both Izzy and Mimi to turn their heads.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Izzy asked in confusion.

"Don't say a word," said Matt. "You're coming with us."

"What?! Hey—!"

Joe put the black blindfold over Izzy's eyes, and grabbed one arm, Matt grabbing the other. In Mimi's distraction, Sora quickly covered her mouth, putting the blindfold over her eyes.

"Don't scream," she told Mimi. "I'm really sorry about this, Izzy!" she added aloud, watching Izzy struggle as Joe and Matt carried him out.

"Don't worry, honey!" Mimi said excitedly when Sora removed her hand. "The boys will take good care of you!"

"I'm not too confident about this!" Izzy yelled before being whisked away completely.

"Sora, is that you?" Mimi asked. "I totally wasn't expecting this!"

"There's no time to explain," Sora said, trying to keep up with the act of urgency. "I'm taking you upstairs—Wait, did you already do your hair?!" Sora noticed Mimi's hair sleeker and shinier, her waves more prominent. "Anyway, I've got the dress ready—I trust you've got the right makeup and shoes for it."

"You got me a dress?!"

Sora couldn't hold in her giggles as she held Mimi's hands behind her back and let her walk up the stairs first in her giddiness.

"Oh, I  _knew_ you'd come through, Sora! I just knew it!" Mimi continued. Sora stopped her once they reached the master bedroom, and Sora hurriedly unzipped the dress from the garment bag and laid it out on the bed.

"Our ride is already outside, Mimi, but take your time. This is your night, after all."

"What are we doing tonight, Sora?"

"Mimi, tonight…" Sora removed the blindfold, and Mimi stared at the dress in admiration. "We're painting the town red."

Mimi screamed as she jumped for joy, and Sora smiled and laughed as Mimi threw her arms around her. Sora had known that Mimi needed something like this to keep her stress away from the wedding, and she had no doubt that Mimi would love the idea of having a party wearing a slinky red dress, strutting through town with her wedding ladies fashionably dressed in black, making her the center of attention.

When the bridesmaids arrived in their black attire, everyone watched as Mimi walked down the staircase in the red v-neck strapped dress that showcased her shapely figure, complete with a perfect red shade on her lips and red stilettos on her feet.

"Sora, this dress is beyond perfect!" said Mimi, swinging her hips to twirl the skirt. "Now, ladies, let's get this party started."

They all climbed into the limousine, where Mimi and the girls immediately took advantage of the liquor in the mini fridge. By the time they arrived to the karaoke place, Mimi was already buzzed. They ordered whatever food Mimi desired as everyone took turns singing a song that Mimi chose for them.

"I know the perfect song for you, Sora," Mimi said, punching the numbers for the song with her tongue sticking out and pushing enter. A piano melody filled the room, and "Let it Go" marqueed across the screen. Mimi burst into laughter as Sora grimaced, while the other girls smiled with their confusion.

"What happens here stays between us," said Sora before she began to sing, knowing full well that Mimi will tell their circle of friends, anyway.

Once the reservation time was up, Mimi announced persistently that she was ready to go to a bar. Sora had a few drinks earlier on in the evening, but stopped, wanting to make sure that Mimi didn't do anything too crazy. Sora had the limo driver pull up at the next bar he saw, and the party continued there. Sora held Mimi's hand as they walked in, but she was still amazed at Mimi's continued poise and grace as she walked in her skinny-heeled shoes, even after she drank so much. Sora tried to ignore the stares they were both getting, but Mimi returned them with her smiles and her winks, and even a few air kisses.

"So many cuties, Sora!" she said. "You should talk to them!"

"Don't worry about me," Sora replied. They found a high bar table for the party, and given that the rest were probably too intoxicated to order, Sora walked over to the bar counter to decide for them.

The bar was crowded, and Sora forgot how stuffy it got with all those people, so she decided to leave her jacket at the table with the girls, welcoming the cool air on her shoulders this time around. When she got to the counter, she found a menu free to view, and was surprised to see this bar serving cocktail drinks in pitchers. She ordered the one for Midori Melonball, knowing Mimi's love for Midori, and pointed the bartender toward the table for them to serve.

"Heyyy, cutie," Sora heard nearby. It was a man sitting at her side, eyeing her up and down. "You look like you need a drink!"

Sora rolled her eyes and groaned, remembering why she hardly liked to wear the dress that exposed her shoulders and the top of her chest. "I'm fine, thanks," she said, turning around.

"I wouldn't think so if I wasn't talking to you," he replied, and Sora turned to see his smirk that she instantly found annoying.

"Not interested, buddy," was her sharp reply. "Back off."

"Whoa, whoa, a pretty girl like you should get upset so easily."

" _Neko_ …!" Sora heard suddenly, and her irritation disappeared.

"I…  _Inu_?" she called out, momentarily forgetting why that response made sense.

"I got the water you asked for," came his voice close to her ear. A hand slip around her waist, and she turned to see Tai, and that was when she remembered. It used to be their call and response whenever they somehow separated in large, crowded spaces. Most of the time,  _Neko_  searched for him and found him, but this time,  _Inu_  found her first, smiling at her as he held her close.

She couldn't help but smile back.

Tai then looked over to the guy who had just failed with his attempt to flirt with Sora, and she noticed Tai's eyes changed. When she looked over to the guy, she noticed him turn his knees in the opposite direction on his chair, slumping his shoulders as he hid in his large mug of beer.

Sora turned back to Tai, relieved as he gave her a grin. "Thank you so much. You know how much I hate when someone tries to buy me a drink."

"Don't mention it,  _rooooomie_ ," he replied, handing her the glass of water as he held his own glass of dark beer. That long drawl at the end of his sentence made her wonder how much he had been drinking tonight.

"Where's that stout from?" Sora asked.

"You knew it was a stout by looking at it?" Tai asked back. "I'm impressed."

"It's not the hardest to figure out, Tai. It's dark and I can smell how bitter it is. Plus, it's your favorite kind. I'm not going to forget that."

"Still impressed."

Tai was still grinning. Sora raised her brow at him oddly. Soon, they left the bar counter and found a table to sit together.

"Shouldn't you be at Izzy's bachelor party?" she asked then.

"Oh yeah. Matt invited me to see Izzy get wasted. We figured he would love the rum with Coke."

"Oh!" Sora remembered, giggling. "That's right. He only tried it once.  _'I suppose I can say I don't have any aversions to this.'_ I think that's what he said."

"Right." Tai looked mischievous at first, but then, his smile disappeared.

"Izzy doesn't handle alcohol too well," Tai went on. "Maybe it's because he doesn't drink much. Matt's with him in the bathroom now."

Sora's eyes widened. "You guys are terrible."

"Sora!" Mimi yelled. Before Sora turned, Mimi already wrapped her arms around her. "You're the best," she said in her happy slur, kissing her cheek which Sora knew imprinted a red lip stain. "You're so gorgeous. I love you more than Izzy."

Sora laughed. "I love you, Meems."

"Why haven't you come back to the table? There were five guys that already passed by. They all gave me their numbers, but I'll just pass them on to you…"

Sora watched Mimi's eyes fall on Tai, and her hold on Sora became tighter as though she was guarding her.

"If you're staring that much, you might as well buy her a drink already," Mimi said with a giggle.

"No, no," Sora said, averting eyes from both of them. She was convinced then that sipping on the straw of her water would cool off the blush forming on her cheeks.

Mimi sighed and let go of Sora. "I guess I won't need these." She then held out five pieces of crumpled napkins, all of which she tossed up high behind her and let them fall to the floor. Then, she gasped, her attention drawn back to the bachelorette table. The hostess had just set a pitcher of a green drink, with spherical shapes of fruit floating in the pitcher.

"I knew you'd love it," said Sora with a smile as Mimi gaped at her.

"Midori Melonball?! Oh, I can't wait - Sora, you have to have some with me—" Mimi gasped again. "They're starting without me! The bride-to-be! How dare they!"

Mimi ran off then, ziplining to the other table.

Tai watched in amazement. "She made it without even a stumble."

"Never underestimate Mimi and her stilettos," said Sora, shaking her head. "She looks like she's having a blast."

"You should be having fun, too, Sora." Tai pointed his now half-empty glass toward her.

"Don't worry, Tai. I've had my fun already. It's Mimi's night, anyway." Sora took another sip of her water.

"You know what else is impressive?" Tai said, a little more loudly. "Is how you planned it all, too, considering how last minute it was."

Whatever water Sora sipped up from her straw was now sputtered on the floor in front of her.

"Matt told you!" she exclaimed as Tai laughed hard, leaning back in his chair. "You better not tell Mimi.  _Don't tell her it was last minute!_ "

"Oh, man," Tai said with an exhale. "Don't worry, Sora. I won't tell Mimi. Izzy, though…"

Sora leaned forward against the table, eyes flashing. "Tai, you know he's even worse at keeping his mouth shut!"

"Okay, okay. I won't." Tai picked up his glass, took a swig of his beer, then set it down. Sora watched him the whole time, still suspicious of his next move. Then, he reached into his pocket and took out his phone.

"What are you doing, Tai?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I have to remind Izzy about something, but he'll probably read it in the morning."

"Don't you dare, Tai."

"What?"

Sora reached across the table to grab Tai's phone, but he quickly pulled it from her reach. She jumped off of her barstool to grab at his phone, but he was already up and ready to run. As she grabbed his arm to stop his chance, her legs had already given way, and she had no time to stop herself from falling.

Tai grabbed her other arm in time, breaking her collapse onto the floor. He helped her up and she found herself looking up at his laughing face.

"I'm surprised you lasted that long without falling in those heels," he said, and she looked back with a frown. "You're not even drunk, Sora."

"Oh, but you are, aren't you?" she asked, taking note of the bitter scent in his breath.

"This is only my second pint of beer."

She looked at him with skepticism. "Your second?"

"Hmm...Maybe my... twenty-second."

" _Twenty-second?!_  How are you even alive?!"

Tai laughed again, and suddenly, Sora found herself laughing, too. She knew in truth that he wasn't as drunk as he said he was. She had never even seen him drink that much. But saying ridiculous things to get a reaction out of her was something she learned that he found enjoyment from.

It was something she didn't think that she would miss so much.

Suddenly, Joe appeared in front of them, and he took Tai's phone from his hands, holding it up in front of them. Sora realized how close she was to Tai, her arms bent and palms resting on his chest. Tai was now looking at Joe, but she noticed their faces had been so close to each other, so close that she could smell, not the stout but the familiar musky smell on his shirt.

"Tai, why are you sending a message to Sora?" Joe asked. "She's right in front of you."

Tai had been messing with her all this time. Sora pushed Tai away from her as he laughed giddily. She walked back to her seat, but this time, she felt her cheeks might have matched the color of Mimi's lipstick stain.

"We probably should head out, Tai," Joe continued. "Izzy's not doing any better. Matt's calling it a night."

There was a scream, followed by a cheer. Sora looked to see that her rowdy wedding party was hollering at Mimi, who has just started guzzling down the remaining half of the green cocktail straight from the pitcher.

"That one's on you," said Tai with a pat on her back, and Sora made a face.

"Aren't you glad you're not the Best Man?" she asked.

"Boy, am I so glad." Tai grinned and turned around to walk away.

"Hey, Tai?"

He looked to her, waiting. Sora had the urge to say something, and she opened her mouth to start.

But she couldn't.

"I'll see you tomorrow," she said. "It's moving day, after all."

"See ya," he smiled. Then added, "By the way, they charge for the water here. Did you know that?"

He walked away, leaving Sora watching him with scorn. Perhaps when she moved in, she figured she would sneak a few paper bills into his wallet.

It felt chilly then, and she thought to grab her jacket at the other table. Then, she looked to Mimi, who held up her arm in a pose once she sets the pitcher down, empty of its contents. The table roared with cheers.

"Sora," said Joe, looking on with his usual stern expression. She didn't realize he was still standing there, meaning he had witnessed her interaction with Tai. She wondered then, what kind of cold, hard truth would come out of his mouth next.

"Yes, Joe?"

"It's good to see you happier. At least, your spirits seem to be up."

She wondered what all he meant by that. It was a difficult September that ended terribly, and it was nice to start October with a joyous occasion. Why wouldn't she be happy tonight? It was a celebration that was in part of her best friend's future marriage, and watching Mimi throw her hands up and shout with glee before her, she knew how happy Mimi was to have this night happen for her, which in turn made Sora really happy.

Or maybe, he was talking about Tai.

Sora put her jacket back on, surprised that it had gotten cold rather quickly after he left. The bachelorette party ended shortly after, when all the girls included Mimi grew tired. Sora was the only one awake in the limo and had the driver drop off each bridesmaid at their homes, while Mimi cozied up to her side, her eyes closed with a smile. Once the limo reached the final stop, Sora helped Mimi inside, where she found Matt dozing off on the couch. He woke up as soon as he heard them, and he helped Sora bring Mimi up the stairs. As they reached the master bedroom, Mimi gasped.

"My baby is  _trashed_!" Mimi said in her drunken surprise as they all looked over at Izzy, sprawled on the bed laying on his stomach, moaning softly in his discomfort.

"He stopped vomiting half an hour ago," Matt whispered to Sora.

"Hmm." Sora made sure a wastebasket was near the bedside as Mimi crawled into bed with Izzy, her stilettos kicked off but she was still in her red dress.

"You poor little boo," Mimi cooed, holding her hand to Izzy's cheek. "Now we're trashed together."

Then, Mimi paused and made a soft noise.

"Sora...Sora, are you there?" Mimi asked sounding worried. "Sora, I don't feel so good…"

"To your right, Meems," Sora said, taking a few steps forward in anticipation.

"Oh…" Mimi saw the wastebasket and quickly lunged toward it to throw up, making it in time.

Sora looked to Matt, who rubbed the back of his head, then she turned to Mimi, both her and Matt sighing in helplessness.

"It's going to be a fun moving day tomorrow," Matt said.


	14. [me and you]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I put two chapters in one update. Hope you don't mind.  
> Happy reading.
> 
> Edit 7/6/19: Removed chapter title [i feel weird]

Despite the lack of sleep for everyone, the move went smoothly for Sora with help from Matt and Tai. Sora got a few hours of sleep on Mimi and Izzy's couch while Matt slept in their guest bedroom, and after filling their stomachs with pastries and coffee, they rented a moving truck as planned and drove straight to Sora's apartment to load up her boxes. Tai joined the two shortly after. His hair was combed, but still unkempt, much like Matt's, except bigger and messier, showing that he didn't get enough sleep, either. Sora's hair was put up in a small ponytail, and she still felt her sloppiness matched that of the two boys, but she figured she knew them long enough to care less.

Sora did one last round in the apartment to pick up anything that needed to be thrown away. That included any leftover food, empty soap bottles in the bathroom, junk mail she used to wrap for packing, and, lastly, her old sketchbook. She gave herself until moving day to decide whether or not to throw it away. She would keep the pencils to give away to someone else, but the sketchbook reminded her of years of her hard work, ideas that came into her head that she constantly picked at but sometimes hated, but some that inspired her to keep going...

"Are you sure, Sora?" Matt asked when she handed him the wastebasket, Tai approaching and peeking in from behind him.

"Positive," she said. Maybe she would stay in fashion a different way, but designing was something she no longer wanted anything to do with.

Other than Sora's bed and her couch that the three of them lifted up the stairs and into her room, the boxes were not too hard to carry from the truck to the living room, even with what little energy they had to begin with. By late afternoon, Sora sent Matt home, seeing how tired he was after taking care of Izzy for most of the early morning. That was when Sora and Tai agreed to take a nap break, where she crashed on Tai's couch this time, and Tai carried a box as he disappeared upstairs. The next time Sora woke, it was evening, and Tai had taken the last of the boxes to the kitchen.

"You didn't take a break, did you?" Sora asked, still sleepy from her nap.

"Huh?" Tai asked, sounding even sleepier as he fell against the other arm of the couch.

"That's enough moving around for you, Tai," she said, getting up herself. "Don't worry about the rest. You have work tomorrow, after all."

He might have said something as Sora walked up the stairs to her room, maybe a mumble, but she didn't turn to ask. In her new living space, her bed was adjacent to the door, with her couch against the wall closest to it. Her boxes were stacked up against another wall, though some were inside the walk-in closet with sliding doors opposite the wall of the couch. Above her headboard was a small window that she was never going to open to let the cold air in-depending on how long she was going to live there, anyway.

She went back downstairs, wanting to ask Tai about what they should do about dinner, when she noticed him laying still on the couch. He didn't have enough sleep himself, but he moved all her boxes for her, which he didn't have to do, but he still did.

"Idiot," she said under her breath, Then, with an idea, she walked further into the kitchen to scour the fridge. About an hour later, she noticed he was stirring, but she had already turned off the stove.

"That smells so good," he said, and Sora carried two bowls, each with a set of chopsticks. She joined him on the couch as she handed him his bowl, and his eyes widened in his delight. "No way! You made ramen!"

"I thought it was a good idea for tonight," said Sora.

"Ramen is always a good idea!"

As they ate, Sora gave Tai more details of the bachelorette party, most of which he had already known about, both from Matt, and earlier that day, Mimi.

"Don't try to keep the karaoke part of the night from me, Sora," Tai said.

"Nothing happened," she mumbled, slurping her ramen noodles.

"Mimi said you sang it well, and you knew  _every word_?"

"Both are untrue."

"I'll have to get an encore of this. We're going to make it happen one day."

"In your dreams, Tai."

Tai laughed, looking as though he was enjoying Sora's contempt for that moment. After he stopped bugging her about it, he told her about his night with Izzy and the boys, at what point it got wild and crazy, and then when it crashed and burned before running into her.

"I wanted to stay with Izzy, too, you know," he said. "But Matt insisted that Joe and I go home. So, Joe took me home. And, of course, he lectured me the whole way."

The way Tai turned his eyes away from Sora to his now empty bowl, she knew exactly what Joe lectured him about.

"He's always looking out for us, you know," she said, her voice softer as she said it.

"Yeah," Tai replied, lowering his voice, too. "I know."

Sora decided then to get up and take his bowl to the kitchen sink. Tai gave his to her, but told her not to worry about washing up.

"I'll take care of it," he said. "Just leave them in the sink."

Quietly, she did that, noting his moments of staring into space while they ate together. She wondered how much of their conversation he was going to remember later on at that point. Sure enough, when she began to boil water for tea, Tai approached her in the kitchen, stretching his arms in the air and yawning.

"I think I'm gonna hit the hay early tonight," he said, his lids drooping already.

"Alright, Tai. Thanks for today, and for everything."

"Always," he said, smiling, albeit sleepily. "'Night, Sora."

He turned around, walking away and toward the stairs, and Sora turned off the heat for the boiling water, amused at the dirty bowls left in the sink that she knew she was going to wash in the end.

* * *

_..4 days 'til rain.._

Monday and Tuesday went by without a hitch, as far as living with Tai went. Sora started unpacking the boxes in the kitchen, in which Tai didn't mind her adding since he barely had anything to fill his cabinets. She alternated between organizing and sitting on the couch, job searching with her laptop on the couch. She wasn't looking for anything permanent for the time being - just something that wasn't too high in stress and something that could help her pay her bills until she figured out what she wanted to pursue further. But, by the end of Monday afternoon, her eyes were strained from staring at the screen, filling out applications, tweaking her resume and cover letter, hitting the submit button for job after job, and reading new emails about more application rejections.

She closed her laptop and set it aside, falling to her side on the couch and grabbed her phone to send out a group text.

_"Job suggestions? Any field, just need new ideas."_

It was only a few minutes of her closing her eyes until she heard her phone beeping nonstop.

 

 _**Matt:** _ _Bartender? Waitress? My band's favorite bar is looking for someone._

 _**TK:** _ _The cafe's looking for a barista! I want free drinks. :)_

 _**Mimi:** _ _I will pay you to be my Maid of Honor._

 _**Sora:** _ _Mimi! No way!_

 _**Mimi:** _ _Okay, fine, I tried. But I'm saving you a spot as my bakery girl when I get that shop going. I'll make you wear a maid outfit!_

 _**Matt:** _ _I think we have a winner here._

 _**TK:** _ _I agree, Nii-san. I could go for free baked goods ;)_

When Tai arrived, Sora was back on her feet, finishing up with the kitchen cabinets.

"I saw your text, Sora," he said. "I've got some ideas, but you know, I could always fire my assistant and hire you in her place."

Another mug would have shattered if she held one in her hand.

"No way in hell," she replied simply, refusing to look at him, especially since he was still in his suit with his tie now loosened and his collared shirt unbuttoned.

"That was a hard  _'no'_ ," he said, but left it at that, to her relief.

* * *

_..3 days 'til rain.._

Tuesday was more of the same, except she tried the traditional route of passing every shop along a street, looking for storefront signs that asked for help. Unfortunately, most of them had no signs, and most that did said they either already found someone, or directed her to apply online. When she got back to Tai's, however, amidst the handful of rejection emails was one email asking for a job interview, which she immediately set up.

She was reading a book on the couch when Tai came back that evening, although he was on the phone as he walked in, and his tone was different as he spoke. It wasn't his upbeat directness as she heard him at his job, nor was it relaxed as though he was talking to Matt or Izzy. It was cautious, maybe even nervous, as if he was trying to keep his cool.

"It's nice hear from you, too, Yuki," he said, and Sora lifted her eyes from the book she read. She immediately went back to reading, but her mind took her back to when Tai cooked chow mein for her.

"Yeah… Sure… Just tell me when you're in town…" he said. Sora felt like she was intruding on a private conversation, but it distracted her from the paragraph she had tried to re-read a few times already. Then, Tai tapped his phone and removed it from his ear, and Sora drew in a breath to read that paragraph over again. Tai walked past the living room quietly, and Sora gave up, finally, closing the book and setting it on the coffee table.

"Welcome back…" Sora said, turning around on the couch, uncertain of Tai's mood when she looked at him, but when he looked up, she noticed his look of worry.

"I don't feel like cooking tonight," he said. "Think we should just grab something from the  _conbini_?"

The sun was on its way down, and Sora wasn't looking forward to the cooler night air once it disappeared, but Tai looked troubled, and he looked like he didn't want to go out alone.

"Let's go," she said, grabbing her jacket.

The convenient store was only three blocks down from Tai's house, and Sora already felt the chill brush past her hands. She walked beside Tai with her hands in her pockets, wanting to ask what was bothering him, but she felt like it wasn't her place to ask, at least, not since they weren't as open with each other than they were before. She decided then, as they entered the store together, heading toward the ready-made meals section, that whatever he held back from her, she would accept as it was.

"Sora," he said, and she turned to him, holding up a meal of curry rice.

"Ooh, that sounds really good right now—hang on." As she studied the label, she found the chili image and the description that came along with it, her mouth opening in surprise. "Extra spicy?! I could never find these anymore!"

Tai smiled when she grabbed it from him with delight. He picked up his own meal, then took Sora's to pay for at the front, despite her protests.

"Pay me back later, Sora," he said.

They walked back to his house and warmed up their meals, eating at the dining table together. That was when Tai started talking to her about Yuki.

"I don't know if you remember when I mentioned a girl at a law firm in Beijing," he said. "That's the girl I was talking to earlier. Yuki."

"I see," Sora replied. She was surprised, but she kept calm, focusing on the heat and spiciness while consuming her curry.

"She's originally from Tokyo, but she lives in Beijing. She was talking about visiting me soon, and—I don't know, I feel weird talking about this with you..."

Sora set her spoon and fork down. "It's okay, Tai. You can tell me."

Tai looked up at her. "Really?"

Sora shrugged and gave him a small smile. "We're good, Tai. Go for it."

She wasn't sure she was telling the truth, but it convinced Tai enough to keep talking as they ate. He met Yuki at a bar a few times, surprised to see a Japanese woman in a bar full of Beijing locals. They had the same interests: staying active, Chinese food, and football, and they missed their families and friends back home. They dated for a few months, and Tai was really into her, but they decided to break it off in the end and stay friends.

Tai didn't mention why.

"She seems like a nice girl, Tai," Sora said, finishing the last of her curry rice.

"She is," Tai said. "If I'm honest, you might have liked her, too. She always dressed nice, she loved the summer, and she hated Portugal's football club. With a passion."

" _Oh."_ Sora raised her eyebrows. "That makes sense. Portugal sucks, Tai."

Tai cocked his head a bit, sitting up a little straighter. "You think so? They're 2 - 1 right now, Sora. Are we about to have this conversation?"

"We most certainly are!" Sora leaned forward in her chair across the table from him. Before asking any more about Tai's other love interest, Sora wanted to get one thing straight with him—making sure he knew which football team was superior. "They are  _horrible_ with their defense—they're lucky they slipped in those two wins."

"No way. You can't call that horrible defense, not like Spain has it—"

Sora gasped, standing up from her chair. "Really, Tai? Team Spain, who is three wins,  _zero_ losses? Those wins being against England, Croatia, and hmm, let's see,  _Portugal?"_

"Hey! That was their first game of the season, they were just warming up!"

Sora scoffed. "Sure,  _that's_ what they were doing." She walked away from the table, satisfied with the knowledge that her team was much better than his, and expecting nothing more that Tai can argue.

"Give them time, Sora," Tai said, still sitting at the table. "Next match, Portugal's going to demolish team Spain."

"We'll see about that, Tai," she said, waving her hand at him. "When's the next match anyway?"

"Hmm…" Tai fell silent as he stood in front of her, both of them checking their phones together. "Ooh, tomorrow night, Spain is playing Italy."

"Italy?" Sora said. "But—"

"Italy is terrible," they both said at the same time. Sora looked up the same time Tai did, meeting his eyes.

"You know…" Tai said as she looked away with her cheeks flushing. "Italy's actually getting up there in the ranks. They do have one win and one loss… but, they might surprise us."

An idea found its way into Sora's head, and she turned to him with her eyes feeling bright. "Let's watch it!" she said. "I haven't seen a game in a while."

"Let's do it," Tai said, his smile determined. "I know just who to invite."

* * *

_..2 days 'til rain.._

On Wednesday evening, Izzy showed up at Tai's door, followed by a disgruntled Mimi, holding grocery bags on her way in.

"Mimi, it really is great to see you," Sora said apologetically, giving her a hug.

"Ugh, Sora, you know how I hate preparing for things last minute anymore," she said, hugging her back. Tai cleared his throat when Mimi made her way to the kitchen, and Sora stared daggers as he wriggled his eyebrows.

"What are you two implying?" Izzy asked, catching their interaction.

"Don't worry about it," Sora said, punching Tai's side as they all walked in.

The game already started. Sora sat on the left side of the couch, as usual, and Izzy took the spot on the other side. Tai handed them each a bottle of beer before sitting down between them.

"I can't wait for Spain to defeat Italy," Izzy said, and Sora lifted her beer bottle toward him.

"Ah, yes, a man who knows his football well," she said, seeing Tai roll his eyes.

"Hang on," Tai said, taking his phone out. "Oh. Kaze."

Sora kept the top of the bottle to her lips, her eyes on Tai looking at his phone screen.

"He's asking why I'm not at Happy Hour tonight," he continued, then said his response aloud as he typed.  _"'Watching some football with my best buds'."_

"Indeed," said Izzy. Tai clinked his bottle with Izzy's, then moved to Sora's.

"You remember Kaze, right, Sora?"

"I do," she said dryly, lifting her beer bottle to her lips again. She wondered if he knew. If he didn't, he was better off not knowing. She kept her eyes on the game, but Tai kept his eyes on her.

"Okay!" Mimi's voice came with her usual cheerfulness. A tray of sushi appeared before them. "Food's ready!"

"Sweet!" Tai said as he grabbed one. Sora and Izzy grabbed one each for themselves as well. "Send pics to Matt, he'll be so jealous."

Sora giggled as Mimi set the tray down to sit next to Izzy. "You know, he would leave none for the rest of us. He'll take the tray to the dining table to take it all for himself."

"Good thing he's not here, then," Tai agreed.

"I don't get it," Mimi said, leaning against Izzy. "How long has the game been on? No one's made a point yet."

"Spain just needs to work on their defense right now," Izzy explained, and Sora already lightly punched Tai's side again before he could even grin.

But even past halftime, the score was still 0 - 0, and Sora saw Mimi getting restless, picking up the sushi tray and everyone's empty beer bottles, handing each of them fresh ones after. That was when Team Italy scored a goal, causing a collective gasp from everyone. Sora kept a closer eye on the TV, especially when Team Spain got hold of the ball at their feet. Her hands grasped her hair with five minutes left, when Spain kicked the ball closer and closer to the goal post. She groaned when Italy hijacked the ball, but Spain gained it back. Sora jumped out of her seat, everyone shouting at the TV. Four minutes… three, two, one… Spain found themselves in a good spot, a chance for one kick left with a direct hit to score a goal.

But then, the kick missed the post, and time ran out.

Sora's hands fell to her sides, her face falling at the score: Italy, 1, Spain, 0.

"What a game," she heard Tai say, but she didn't respond, and soon, she found herself sitting cross-legged in front of the fireplace, hugging the couch pillow in her arms as she stared into the fire to comprehend the loss.

"Sora…" Mimi said from behind her.

"Give her a moment, Mimi," Izzy told her quietly.

It was a feeling Sora hadn't felt in a while. Watching football games had always been one of her favorite past times, especially after she stopped playing in high school, She always followed the games, checking scores and stats even as she couldn't catch a game, so watching them, whether at a bar or home with her friends like this was always a treat.

Seeing her favorite team lose, however, always dampened her mood.

She didn't realize how long she sat where she did, eyes glazed until she felt Mimi give her a hug and a kiss on her cheek. "Goodnight, Sora. Spain has the hottest players."

When Tai sat next to her after Izzy and Mimi left, she anticipated him gloating.

"Cheer up, Sora," he said. "They're still 3 - 1. Their defense really is impressive."

She scowled at him. "You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"No, I'm not, I'm being serious. They're better than Portugal."

She was mildly surprised at his seriousness.

"That's really big of you...I guess Portugal has Cristiano Ronaldo going for them." She smiled as she watched him smile back. "I'm really glad we can agree on something, Tai."

Sora got up to bring the pillow back to the couch, and Tai stood up with her.

"You know," Tai said, "I was only actually talking about Spain's defense. They still don't have anything else on Portugal."

The pillow was still in her hand, but it was now thrown against Tai's chest.

"And I was talking about Ronaldo's looks! That's it!"

Tai only laughed back. "I knew it! I knew you had a crush on him."

One more hit, and she dropped the pillow back onto the couch and went up the stairs.

Bickering with Tai about football brought her back to their earlier days, getting into their heated debates and taunting each other about their favorite teams being the worst. She couldn't stop thinking about this as she took a shower, changed into her pajamas, brushed her teeth, and washed her face. As she exited the bathroom in the hallway and approached her room, she saw Tai appear from the door of his room with a grin.

"Sweet dreams of Cristy," he said, and she glared back.

"You too, Tai, being pummeled by Spain."

She closed her door, crawled into her bed, turned off the lights, and realized how hard she tried to think about Portugal's football club captain, and even the whole club of Spain, but all that stuck out in her mind was Portugal's biggest fan, laying in the bed in the room across the hall from hers.

* * *

_..1 day 'til rain.._

Sora attempted to keep a low profile on Thursday. She was about to open her bedroom door that morning to go to the kitchen, when she heard Tai's footsteps in the hallway.

_Why am I acting like this? It's just Tai._

She left the room as soon as she heard the front door open and shut, and went about her day. She met with two different shop owners for interviews which she thought went well, and they said they would get back to her in a few days. Matt sent her a message along the way, which made her laugh a little bit.

.

_**Matt:** _ _Friendship over, unless you saved me some sushi._

_**Sora:** _ _It was nice knowing you._

_**Matt:** _ _:(_

_._

Matt happened to be in the kitchen with Tai by the time Sora returned in the evening, but she didn't feel like talking to them, then.

"I made some onigiri, Sora," said Tai, but Sora was already on the stairs.

"I'll have some later, Tai," she yelled from the stairs. "Thanks."

When she reached her room, she started digging through the boxes she had yet to unpack for something to draw. She didn't want to open up her laptop to stare at more jobs, and she wasn't in the mood to read. She found her colored pencils, and also her bag full of needles and colorful threads she liked to keep, but, where could that sketchbook have gone—?

That was when she remembered, as she held up the pack of colored pencils, that she made Matt throw the sketchbook away.

Matt, who knocked on her door, and poked his head inside.

"Just wanted to say hi," he said. "I was only joking about our friendship being over, you know."

"I know," she replied. She smiled at him and then turned back to digging through her boxes, but she felt Matt's eyes still on her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied, casually setting the pack of colored pencils back into the box, to which she noticed Matt's eyes following them.

"I'll be here for a while, if you want to come down and join us."

"Sure. Thanks, Matt."

Matt closed the door, and Sora never went downstairs to join them. She had the urge to doodle a pattern that had been forming in her head, something she said that she no longer wanted to do, and now she was living with her ex-boyfriend whom she was currently afraid to show her face to.

_What in the world am I doing?_

It was hard for Sora to sleep that night, with her thoughts continuing to swarm about. She almost felt like she was back at university, at the starting point of choosing her major. Did she want to start all over again, or did she want to try something completely different? The future seemed just as uncertain as it did then.

She walked out of her room and stepped into the darkened hallway, staring at Tai's closed door. He was part of that swarm in her head—the swarm she had no idea how to disentangle. Wearing her sweater over her pajamas and bringing a blanket with her, Sora went downstairs to ignite the fireplace, after running out of ideas on how to fall asleep. She rested her chin against the arm of the couch, staring at the dancing flames and hearing the crackling embers that soothed her, and she imagined the flames licking away her troubling thoughts. Soon, her eyelids grew heavier, and the image of Tai faded into black before she finally fell asleep.

* * *

_..today's forecast..  
..rain.._

Sora woke up later on Friday, finding that there were two more blankets over her.

She looked up at a wall clock seeing that it was mid-morning, meaning that Tai was well into his workday by then, but she was thrown off by the unusual darkness outside of the windows. When she went upstairs to check her phone, she noticed two things. The first thing was message from Tai:

" _You looked cold this morning, so I gave you some blankets. It's going to be cold today. Stay warm! :)"_

The second was a missed call and a voicemail from an unfamiliar number. When Sora listened to the voicemail, she nearly dropped her phone from hearing the words "hiring" and "when can you start?"

The voicemail came from the manager of a clothing boutique she interviewed for the other day. The job would be six days a week with Sundays off. Her duties were mainly to mind the shop, ring up purchases, help customers with the fitting to their liking, and request alterations if necessary. Bira-sensei, the manager, immediately took a liking to Sora when they chatted about fashion over cups of tea. They even bonded over their dislike for cold weather.

After she returned Bira-sensei's phone call to go over the details, including the pay and when she would start working, Sora jumped for joy, sending a message to the group, but calling Mimi soon after to scream along in her happiness. And after that, with this new development, she decided to relax the rest of the day, maybe finish off the rest of her unpacking, and finally do the laundry she had been putting off all week. She turned the heater on in the house, and just then, she remembered the box in the closet that she debated leaving unopened for the next few months, until the weather warmed up again.

_Why not open it now?_

She went to her room and opened up the box, excited to stare at her sundresses, shorts, and tank tops that she missed wearing. After throwing on her spaghetti strap tank top and denim shorts, she looked in the mirror, smiling widely as she swung her hips to her outfit. Then, she stopped, staring at the back of her shorts on her bottom. Even after working out and going for her jogs, looking at it made her frown at the effects of sitting long hours at a desk job.

To further lessen her chipper mood, Sora still felt a little cold, even with the heater on. Sighing, she threw her blanket over her, flicking the front of it like a cape as she walked away from the mirror and out of her room.

Sora spent most of the day in her summer wear and her cape blanket on the couch, reading through the latter half of her book. By the middle of the afternoon, she began to hear soft tapping from outside, followed by increased pitter patter. She hadn't bothered looking out the window all day, but that was when she realized why the sun didn't seem to shine from outside then. All it encouraged her to do was stay cozy inside and read on to the next book.

When she returned to her room to find another book, something fell as she passed it, and she frowned a second time that day.

It was the basket of laundry she dreaded dealing with, but seeing her clothes spilling all over the floor only enforced her nagging in her head, telling to clean it all up. Sighing, she picked up the dirty clothes and put them back into the basket, and headed toward the laundry room that fit between her room and the bathroom in the hallway. She set down her basket, and her head turned toward Tai's room, where the door was left wide open. She felt guilty then, for not having talked to him at all, yet, all he had been doing was talking to her, hanging out with her, and helping her move in.

Like a friend would…right?

Sora walked into his room to get his laundry basket, which, to her surprise, had all his clothes in there already. Looking around his room, other than the blankets on his bed unmade, she saw that it was clean and uncluttered, and it spared her the minutes of having to go from corner to corner to pick his clothes off the floor

That was when she left his room, her smiled returned.

She started reading a new book, her new spot to sit being against the wall between the laundry room and the bathroom. The only times she paused from reading was when she switched the clothes from the washer into the dryer, and when she heard the front door open from downstairs, the sound of the pouring rain harder and louder as it opened.

"I'm home!" Tai yelled, and the cold from the front door reached Sora's spot upstairs, causing her to wrap her caped blanket around her shoulders.

"Upstairs, Tai," she yelled back, standing up and setting the book down. When Tai met her in the hallway upstairs, Sora looked at him in horror, seeing his hair and coat soaking wet, with drops of water trailing from the wooden flooring on the stairs. "Gawd, Tai, do you not understand the concept of an umbrella?"

He smiled nervously. "Didn't think it was going to rain today…"

"Take that off," she said, going into the bathroom to find a towel. "A towel, a towel...They're in the dryer…" she walked back out, seeing that Tai disappeared into his room. He grabbed a hanger for his dripping coat to hang above his bathtub. When she met him at his bathroom door, he was still in his long-sleeve dress shirt, which was just as soaked. "Take that off," she repeated. "You'll catch a cold!"

"Says the woman in shorts and a tank top?" he asked, eyeing her. That was when she noticed her blanket had slipped off from her.

Sora blushed.

"All my clothes are in the wash, Tai."

"Uh huh."

"...I just miss summer."

Just then, Tai shook his head, spraying droplets of water from his hair all around him, including on Sora. She screamed from getting sprayed, feeling the cold drops all over her arms and legs.

"Almost like being by the pool, right?" He said with a grin.

"You're too much," she said, laughing at him.

The dryer beeped then, and Sora ran to it, suddenly remembering one of her favorite things. She opened the dryer door, taking in the small burst of heat surrounding her. Then, she dug through the clothes and found her hooded pullover sweater, immediately throwing it on. She stood next to the dryer and held her arms around herself, finding bliss in the softness and warmth of her freshly laundered sweater.

"That's why you didn't answer when I called for you," she heard Tai say behind her. He had dressed into sweatpants and his dress shirt was off. Sora watched him lean to reach into the dryer in front of her, finding herself observing the muscles on his chest, how they tightened on his arms and his back. She had to wonder how much more he worked out since they last…

"Aha! Towels," he said then, taking a few as well as a shirt to wear.

_What are you doing, Sora?_

"Wait, that's it?" Sora asked as he walked away and used a towel to dry himself off. "What about your jacket?"

"My jacket?"

"How could you forget?" Sora looked into the dryer and found his zipper hooded jacket, the zipper still hot to the touch. Tai had his shirt on by then, and when Sora held out his jacket, she felt his hand brush against hers as he took it from her. Already, he felt so…

"Warm," she said in surprise, watching him put on his jacket. "How are you so warm already, Tai? You were the one out in the rain. I'm still warming up with this sweater."

"We've talked about this before, remember?" Tai said, laughing. "You told me the sun liked me better."

It was a conversation they had years ago, sometime in the fall, of course. She was surprised moreso that he remembered.

"That's right. I told you how jealous I was. I still am."

"Do you remember what else you told me?" was his follow up, as he stepped forward and took her hand, placing it between his palms. Just like he used to do.

Sora didn't push him away.

"Sure, I do. I said that the sun was more of an idiot than you were, and that at least I had you to keep me warm…"

_He's so warm..._

"Geez, Sora, I might as well be touching ice." There was still amusement in his voice, but it was getting softer now. Her own voice seemed to escape from the breath that seemed to leave her, but she found herself lifting her other hand to his. When she looked up, he was already meeting her gaze, a smile forming on his lips as hands now held both of hers.

_He's... so..._

Her mind went blank the longer they stared. She licked her lips out of her nervous habit, as she looked to see his mouth open to say something, but he didn't. He laughed again, sounding nervous himself, then let go of her hands.

"You're going to die by freezing to death, Sora," he said. "That'll be on your tombstone."

She couldn't let go of his warmth. As Tai turned around, Sora stopped him, her hand taking hold of the end of his sleeve.

"I'm sure you won't let that happen, Tai," she said, reaching for his other sleeve for them to stand face to face again. She pulled him closer, the swarm in her head buzzing louder, but she wasn't stopping, and he wasn't stopping her...

"What makes you think that?"

Her hands slowly made their way into his sleeves. She massaged her fingers up his forearms, her hands and arms feeling warm and cozy on him, but her cheeks feeling hot as she leaned closer to his face.

"Tell me if I'm wrong…"

"Sora…" he said, his breath close with his lips only inches away from hers. She kissed him then, pressing her lips and feeling the softness of his, but when she pulled her head back to meet his eyes, she couldn't read his expression. Did he not want this to happen? All she thought about then was their breakup, everything wrong in their relationship, and everything wrong about to happen had he kissed her back. Pulling away completely, she removed her hands from his sweater.

Maybe her friends were right.

"I'm sorry, Tai. I'm…"

Sora walked away from him with her head in her hands. She walked out of the laundry room and into her room, closing the door behind her. She leaned back against the door and hit her palm against her forehead, over and over. She was the one who said they were over. She was the one who wanted to move on. She was the one who wanted to be friends.

But she wanted him to be on the other side of the door.

There were knocks on her door, and Sora jumped slightly. It might have started her quickening heartbeat, but surely her heart didn't stop.

"You're not wrong, Sora," Tai said on the other side.

"Good," she said. If she opened the door, and let him in, their friendship would be ruined. She'd be playing with his heart again. Her mind begged her:  _Do not open the door._

She turned the door handle, letting the door swing open between them.

"Tell me what I did wrong," he said.

"What are you talking about, Tai?"

"You stopped talking to me and I spent the last two days wondering why. Ever since I came back to Japan, we've been talking about everything else, Sora. Everything, except about me and you…"

"You did nothing wrong, Tai. You've been so sweet and so kind, being just as you are. Everything that I adore about you…"

"Then, tell me," he said, drawing closer cautiously. "Tell me if this is wrong..." Sora watched his eyes now full of his doubt, but as he took his hand to brush against her cheek, she realized he looked at her with a sense of yearning. Soon, both of his hands were on either side of her face, and her eyes were lost in his chocolate brown ones again.

"Admit it, Sora," he said. "You never needed me."

"Maybe I didn't," she said, her mind going blank. "But I wanted you."

"Do you want me now?"

Her mind tugged at her pounding heart as though it signaled its final warning, let go of him now, before it was too late.

It was too late.

Sora pushed herself forward, her lips crashing against his. Tai kissed back, his hands still holding her face, and her breath got caught in his kisses, slow, soft, seductive. She moved her lips on his as she held him around his back. The longer they kissed, the more Sora ignored her mind, its racing thoughts, but only seeing that Tai was still there, and so was his question. He kept her in his tight embrace, her hunger ignited each time their lips met, the brush of his tongue on hers tempting her for more.

"I want you," she breathed, when his lips broke away from hers and moved onto her neck. "I want you, now."

Tai stayed close to her as Sora sat on the edge of her bed against the headboard. His kisses didn't stop, but she was eager to take them forever. She threw off her sweater and he tossed his jacket aside, followed by his shirt. As Sora took hold of her tank top, Tai took the ends from her, kissing her stomach and up to her breasts as he lifted it up. She was paralyzed with the tingling chills as his hands massaged the back of her neck, and she was already biting her lip from crying out, with her hands finding a hold in his hair, her body shivering as his lips lingered on her chest. He made it obvious, no question about it, how much he wanted her then, too.

Sora slipped off her denim shorts, and Tai kept going, his fingers now slipped into the front of her panties. His name escaped her lips then as she felt herself quiver with each of his moves. He was having way too much fun, and it frustrated her, even as she moaned with pleasure. The sexy smirk on his face as he kissed her mouth then was enough for her to push him off and swing him around to lay him back against the bed. She threw him off guard as she straddled on top of him, kissing his mouth before he could utter a word. She crawled lower to pull down his sweatpants, her lips finding her way down, impatient as her hunger for him, then feeling satisfied as he moved and shuddered above her.

"Sora," he breathed as she moved up, sitting on top of him, his hands holding hers as they rested on his muscled chest. She loved how her name sounded with his voice, and the way his eyes glistened as he looked at her then.

She leaned over to give him a slow kiss on the soft lips she loved to feel against hers, her hands holding either side of his cheek as she kissed him again, and again, and again. She positioned herself onto him, holding onto his shoulders as she thrusted, steadying her rhythm with him until they quickened their pace, faster, harder, deeper, louder.

With a last sigh, Sora fell on top of him and rolled to his side. She rested her head onto his chest and he wrapped his arms around her, both of them holding each other as they caught their breaths. The rain beat down against her window, but it was the sound of his heartbeat as she lay against his chest that felt much more calming.

Her mind woke up then, and that was when she closed her eyes.

She wished that this didn't feel so right.

 


	15. [too much of home]

_In the time they were together, whenever Sora woke up in the morning with her head on Tai's chest, she would tilt her head back to see Tai's sleeping face above her, his expression peaceful and unknowing. She loved watching him lay still for those few moments before he happened to wake up himself. Then, she would giggle like she always did as she watched him open his eyes, and his groggy stare scrunched into confusion._

" _So, I was thinking about that Disney movie we saw the other day," Sora said, "the one with the princess with her godawful name—"_

" _Snow White?" Tai asked in his sleepiness._

" _Yeah, that one. The poor girl poisoned after eating an apple? I can't believe she would accept that from a stranger, and an_ apple _, of all things—"_

" _Sooraaa," Tai frowned and whined as he closed his eyes. "Stop hating on my Disney movies because of your hate for the petty, little things. So, what about it?"_

" _I think… you're most like Dopey."_

_The smile that crept on his face as he laughed softly._

" _So much for trying to convince you that I'm the prince."_

" _Sure, you're charming sometimes. Right now and every morning, you're Grumpy and you're Sleepy. Although, when you're awake, you're also almost always laughing and making everyone around you laugh, so you could probably be Happy, too. But, you're the only one I know who isn't afraid to show his silly side."_

" _I get it, Sora," he said, wrapping his arms around to hold her, his eyes still closed. "It's because I can be an idiot, too."_

_Sora snickered. "You're my idiot, though," she replied, pressing her lips against his chest. She sheepishly confirmed it, but hoped that her words would make him feel better._

" _Fine, fine," he said, his lips gently kissing the top of her hair. "I'll be your Dopey if you want me to be."_

* * *

Tai couldn't believe anything that was happening.

He lay in Sora's bed, his arms wrapped around her as her head rested against him. She was so close to him that he could smell the sweet scent of her hair. The rain had softened against the window above them, and only the light in the hallway brightened her room that was darkened by the night. The heater was still on, but nothing matched the heat emanating from their bodies, especially after what they did to each other—what he had been holding back for a while. He felt her calm breathing, but he knew that Sora was doing exactly what he was at that moment—he knew her eyes were open, staring in a daze, wondering what was going to happen between them next.

_Was this wrong?_

Sora told him he had done nothing wrong. He asked if holding her was wrong, and she responded with her lips, then her hands, and then...

But, she was silent now. He wanted to ask again, but he was afraid that her answer was going to be the same answer before she left his hotel room that morning. Instead, he moved his hand to lace their fingers. She laced his tightly back. Both of them kept silent, but Tai felt that staying this way wouldn't change the current reality—his ideal reality, where she wanted to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her. Actions spoke louder than words, but he couldn't be too sure with Sora anymore.

He couldn't be too sure with himself, either. He thought living in Beijing was going to give him a new experience compared to having lived in Japan his whole life; a fresh start with a brand-new job, new people, new surroundings. It surely did, and he enjoyed every moment of it. He was even lucky to have met Yuki, the girl who aspired to be a lawyer. She had maple brown eyes, long hair as black as a raven, her skin pale—as white as snow.

"Did anyone ever tell you how much you look like Snow White?" was Tai's opening line to her at the bar where they first met. She gave a look of confusion mixed with distaste.

"Whatever I say next, are you going to follow it up and say how you could be my 'Prince Charming'?" she asked.

"I could never live up to that guy. If I would be most like anyone in that movie, it would probably be Dopey."

Her expression softened, and she even ended up laughing at that.

"Honest and a good sense of humor. I like that."

Tai liked a lot of things about Yuki, too, including the things he had told Sora about over their curry rice dinner. Even while he kept in contact with his friends back in Tokyo during his time in Beijing, he mentioned Yuki a few times; and, of course, when he talked to Mimi, she asked about every detail. But, when he told everyone about her, he always mentioned that the most important detail was how much she reminded him of home.

"You know who she  _really_ reminds me of, Tai?" Matt asked, and Tai's lively chatter in the conversation dampened then.

"Yeah..." said Tai, not saying anything else.

For the better part of the seven months they were together, Tai enjoyed being with Yuki. They went on dinner dates at bars or nice restaurants at night, and went on hikes and bike rides during the day. She always wanted to go out, especially as the weather warmed up. She never liked to sit still—she wasn't into movies or reading books—and she only really liked staying in with him if he promised to cook for her, and, of course, whenever they went to bed to do things other than sleeping. But she had a lot of patience, especially with him, and he liked her humble qualities of thinking about everyone around her, and being able to do things without having to depend on anyone.

Being with her was like being home away from home. When things became serious between them, he wondered if he even loved her. He had been closed to saying it, but he stopped himself each time. But when she said it to him one day, it felt like she had sprung it on him, and he couldn't say it back.

It was hard for him when he decided that he wanted to break up.

"So, you're saying we're breaking up… because I remind you too much of home?" she asked, with no tears, but her eyes showed her devastation.

That was the best answer he could come up with, as stupid as it sounded.

On the day that his company offered him a temporary work assignment in Tokyo, his mind already pointed to accepting the offer, even as he tried to listen to the rest of the details. The places he frequented were getting old, and the faces he saw every day at work were friendly, but they just weren't who he wanted to see. He was truly homesick. He didn't know what was going to happen with everything once he returned, but he wanted to take the gamble like he always did, see what happened and figured out how to deal with it when it did.

Just like he did that day he took a gamble with Sora. That day he ran into her, then asked to meet up for dinner to catch up with her. It caught him off guard to see her working in the middle of downtown, but it impressed him, and even made him happy for her to get to where she wanted, career-wise.

It also frustrated him, hearing her talk about it. He loved her, and he admired her for her perseverance and shooting to achieve her dream, but he hated how she shut everything else out apart from that. It was the one thing he struggled with her before their breakup, and what he could see until now that she hadn't changed her mind about. He hated seeing her work day in and day out at her job as though she was married to it.

If only Sora knew what he thought about marriage.

Even he thought it was crazy for him to have such thoughts, but he couldn't tell her. Not if she had her mind set on breaking up with him then. Not if she didn't want to get back together now. All he wanted was for her to be happy.

But he didn't want that dinner meetup-turned-something-more to be the only time he saw her. Before she left his hotel room, he stuck his credit card in her wallet when she wasn't looking, right after she denied him to pay for her cab ride. One of many things she denied. Why did he go that route? He had no idea, but whether she ended up using it or not, she had to give it back to him somehow. And if she didn't, well, he would figure it out later. It was just another gamble of his.

The rain stopped as Tai continued running the events that led up to this moment laying with Sora. He noticed Sora's grip on his hand loosen, and her breath began to feel soft and constant on his chest. He knew she had fallen asleep, but he kept running the events in his mind.

Being able to spend time with her with pizza and a movie, was that another gamble? What about the run-in at the bar? Joe had driven past that bar, and Tai, who had been buzzed out of his mind when he saw Sora and Mimi waltz in, blurted out that that should be their next stop. Izzy was already looking unwell, anyway. After that, barging into her apartment, and then, offering her his empty room. Those were all gambles, too, weren't they?

And then, earlier that evening, taking her hands that were cold to the touch, not knowing if she would let him do that, or just push him away...

What an idiot he was to not realize it until now. It was all a gamble.  _His_ gamble. His silly little setups to see her, to spend time with her, to  _be_  with her. And it surprised him that they all drew her closer to him. Closer to the point where her hands were in the holes of his sweater, her lips pressed were against his, their minds were lost in each other, and then their bodies melting into each other to convince Tai to believe he just had the best night of his life.

Or, as he fretted before drifting off to sleep himself, maybe, it was the worst.

Before he opened his eyes as he woke, he felt Sora gently running her hand through his hair along the sides. She always liked doing that, and he always like the feel of it. His drowsy eyes opened up, staring into her amber ones. Her palm softly brushed his cheek before she drew it away, but her eyes started to show a glint of tears, her lips curling into a frown. He knew what she was going to say before she said it, and he wished he could rewind to the time before he gained consciousness and stayed in his ideal reality that would remain a dream, after all.

"It was wrong, Tai," she said, her voice breaking, and she got up, picking out her clothes to dress into, and leaving the room in silence. Tai sat up, closed his eyes and put his palm over them, knowing that doing that wouldn't stop the sting he felt in them, or the tightness in his heart, but he did it, anyway.

He was in Tokyo. He was living in his own home, with his family and friends surrounding him at closer distances that he could get to within minutes.

But he still couldn't get over being homesick.

* * *

When Sora woke up on Saturday, she realized the morning was almost over, and it must have been before noon. She looked up to see that Tai was still asleep, his face the peaceful and unknowing face she always loved waking up to. She almost couldn't believe how deep of a sleep that was, but then again, they didn't stop after the first time, and, although her mind raced for a while after their last, she eventually let the fact that they wore each other out take over her. Only then did she closed her eyes and drift off to let her troubling thoughts lay dormant in her slumber.

She was awake now, and guilt washed over her the longer she stared at Tai. She loved him. She always did. But she was now back in a place where she had no idea where she was going in her life, and she feared she would lead Tai to her dark moments again. Her go-getter mindset told her not to give up on fashion design, but with the wound still fresh after leaving it… Did she want to go back to it even after the wound healed?

To add to that, she thought about when Matt told her to consider both her mind and her heart.  _What were they even saying?_ Her mind still buzzed with a sea of thoughts that only tangled even more when Tai appeared in the mix. Her heart… well, her heart led her to the fond memories between them, his warmth she latched onto, his kisses she was addicted to… the memories with him that she realized were hard to let go of.

When Tai woke up, she couldn't even apologize to him. She only confirmed his thought, a thought which she knew was true. She walked out of the room and went into the bathroom, splashing her face with water, already feeling the pain she inflicted on him. She had to get away from him, to get her mind straight, whatever she had to do before she hurt him even more than she already did.

And when she returned to her room, she saw that Tai was no longer in her bed. She turned back into the hallway to find his bedroom door closed. Breathing a heavy sigh, she took out a duffle bag and headed to the dryer to dump her clothes in. Even with the pain in her own heart, she recognized that she and Tai were at least on the same page in that moment.

* * *

As the late hours reached early Sunday morning, Sora couldn't find any way to sleep on the couch she had been trying to sleep on. Even though there wasn't a fireplace in the apartment, she had the most comfortable microfleece blanket wrapped around her, as well as two of the fluffiest hypoallergenic pillows like clouds underneath her head. One of the problems was the springy mattress that unfolded from the couch. It was the most uncomfortable surface she had ever slept on, and that was even compared to the floor of Matt's dorm room after a crazy party he threw one weekend—a party that Tai always said he was incredibly proud of him for. The other problem? She was still cold, and she felt like she would be a bother to ask for another blanket.

The front door two yards from where she attempted to sleep creaked open, and she heard a trip and stumble, followed by a whispered "Ow!" The silhouette miraculously remained standing, and Sora heard him mutter: "I must have left the extra pair before I left. She can yell at me later." Holding her breath, Sora nervously anticipated his surprise as he turned on the lights, and they both shouted at the same time when he did, with his hand pressed over his chest with all the items that he carried in his arms.

"Jesus, Sora! What the hell are you doing here?!" he asked incredulously, the glasses on his face askew.

"Nice to see you too, Joe…" Sora said meekly, a phrase that seemed to be her regular greeting to him lately.

Joe and Mika's apartment was where Sora thought it was best to stay for a while, especially on a Saturday evening. Mimi and Izzy usually had their date night that she didn't want to intrude on, and the others typically had their own social events where she wasn't in the mood to join, where she would have been a bother otherwise. With Joe having an overnight shift, Sora figured that she would be the least intrusive with him and Mika, even as she expected the appalled reaction that he was showing her now.

Mika ran out of her bedroom and rushed over to Joe. "She'll be staying with us for a while, honey," Mika explained calmly.

Joe's eyes flashed at Sora as she pulled the micro-fleece blanket above her and toward her face. He looked as though he was going to stomp towards her and start scolding her in his anger for her unexpected disturbance. However, both Joe and Sora drew their attention to Mika who gasped in front of him suddenly, staring in wonder. Sora then focused on the items Joe carried in, and Mika looked on with delight, wearing a smile showing as though her heart just melted.

Sora, on the other hand, felt as though her heart sank. She didn't realize until then, that Joe had been holding a bouquet of flowers as well as and a box of chocolates. It couldn't possibly have been Valentine's Day, but the only other occasion she realized it could have been was...

"Happy Anniversary, Darling," Joe said. Mika threw her arms around him and together they went into a sweet kiss. "I love you. I'm sorry that I couldn't get time off sooner for this…"

Sora watched Joe move his foot to shift the shoes he tripped over aside, the shoes that she took off and set there in the first place.

She fell back onto the cloud-like pillows, hating herself even more. What were the odds that she would end up doing exactly what she was avoiding to do?

Just then, she threw the micro-fleece blanket off of her and put on her jacket, grabbing her dufflebag.

"Where are you going, Sora?" asked Joe, both him and Mika watching her walk over to her shoes and putting them on.

"I shouldn't have bothered you," she told them both. "I'll get out of your way—"

"Hey, wait—"

When Sora stepped toward the door, Joe immediately moved himself in front of the door knob.

"Sora, it's 4 in the morning and 50 F," Joe said, looking at her in disbelief. "Trains don't run until 6. I doubt any of our friends are going to be awake right now, and you're just going to be wandering aimlessly in the cold, which I know for a fact you would rather not do."

"I might as well freeze to death," she muttered, and Joe watched on in his confusion, which she expected him to be, as she turned around and walked back to sit on the edge of the springy mattress. She lowered her head with her eyes staring at her woolen socks. Then, she heard Joe sigh as he took a seat next to her.

"What happened, Sora?" Joe asked.

_Just 'digging my own grave', like you said._

She didn't respond, but she could feel Joe connecting the dots. She was clearly showing an expression on her face that she was distressed, and if she wasn't staying at Tai's house at that moment, what else would have happened to make her leave? She could feel Joe think this through, and she waited for him to scold her at any moment.

"Oh, Sora…" Joe sighed again. When Sora looked up at him, he wore a rueful expression and looked as though he pitied her. "You didn't have a fight with Tai, did you?"

"No. No, nothing like that," she answered. "But, I'm sure he hates me as much as I hate the cold."

"Sora, you know you really have a good grasp on everyone else's feelings. You're wonderful when it comes to looking out for everyone else. So, it just baffles my mind how you are when it comes to you and him."

It was Sora's turn to sigh. "Well, even if he doesn't hate me, I sure as hell do."

Joe stayed quiet, and Sora noticed he was in deep thought.

"Whatever's going on between you two, maybe you can try to resolve it this time," he said, and Sora frowned in reply.

"But the resolution last time was to break up."

"Have you talked to him, Sora?"

Silence fell between them again.

"I'll wait until 6, then," she said softly. "Then, I'll get out of your hair. I'm sorry for the intrusion."

When the time came, she hugged both Joe and Mika, and muttered, "Happy Anniversary, you two," before she left. She walked to the train station, knowing that the trains ran on a slower schedule on Sundays, but she didn't mind waiting, aside from sitting in the cold weather. After hearing the first three stops that beeped the doors opened and closed, she got off at the fourth stop, making her way back to the pain she had to face. She didn't want to knock, so she called his phone as she stood at the front door.

"Sora?" Tai responded quickly. It surprised her, given that it wasn't even 8 in the morning on a Sunday, and he was that fast to respond to her. Either he was forced to wake up by someone, or he hardly slept the night before.

"Can you open the door?" she asked.

It was the latter. When she met him at the door, he looked tired, with his hair in disarray, the darkness under his eyes with lines that showed his lack of sleep. But in spite all of that, he looked worried. It made sense, considering that she left the night before without saying a word.

"Come inside," he said, stepping aside to give way. "Where did you go?"

She walked in, her eyes averted. "I was at Joe's."

Tai shut the door behind him. "I thought… I thought you were going to be gone for a while."

"I thought so, too, Tai."

Sora saw Tai run his hand through his hair, something he only did when he was nervous or troubled, and it wasn't hard for her to figure out why.

"I… I don't want to talk right now," she told him. "I'm going to get some rest. You should probably do the same."

"Fair enough," Tai said.

He quietly walked up the stairs first. Sora knew that he was tired, so he wasn't going to protest. She also knew that it was best for both of them to stop the conversation there so that they could both get sleep that they lost, in rooms separate from each other; most importantly, Sora hoped that it would give them both time to clear their hectic minds before they had to face each other again, to figure out what was going to happen between them next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. Okay, this chapter had me uneasy in the last couple days I wrote it, mainly because I was nervous about Tai's POV(tbh I always am when it's him!). I've been toying with the idea for a while, and I thought it would be something to give this canvas of a story more... _colors_. *ahem* Anyway, I think of his POV as an interlude. There may be one or two more. Also, Yuki. The Disney references were actually not the original reason why I chose that name, but, the references wrote themselves.
> 
> As far as the future of this story, I do have the rest of autumn to cover. To put things into perspective, it took 15 chapters to get through about almost a month. xD Hopefully that gives you an idea. This story still has a few more, uh, things that will happen.
> 
> Thanks for all the love you guys have given this fic so far. I appreciate the subscriptions and the kudos as well as the comments! Please leave one for me, for I do cherish your thoughts and reactions.
> 
> Until next update.
> 
> Stay warm <3


	16. [enough for me]

On Monday afternoon, Sora began her first shift at _Birahana Boutique._ Bira-sensei gasped in delight and clapped her hands together as soon as Sora walked into the shop, which was a little earlier than her start time, but she wanted to keep a good impression.

"Since you're here, I can show you around," Bira-sensei said with a cheerful smile. She was petite and a foot shorter than Sora, and she admitted she was fifteen years older; but her soft brown eyes and short bright red hair that framed her face gave her an appearance that could make her pass for Sora's long-lost sister.

The boutique had a simple layout, with racks of clothes, all designed by Bira-sensei herself, lining against either of the two walls adjacent to the glass window storefront. One side had blouses and long-sleeve tops and skirts, and the other side was lined with casual shirts with printed designs, as well as jeans with floral designs sewn in. In the center of the store was an array of dresses on rotating racks, as well as a display of earrings, necklaces, shoes, and scarves, which Sora couldn't help but keep looking back to in admiration.

The cash register was in the center of the back of the store, on a counter wide enough for Sora to be able to work on if Bira-sensei needed her to. On one end of the register was a fitting room, and the other lead to the back room, divided by a door frame and a bead curtain, where Bira-sensei had her own workstation.

"You can put your bag and your things locked underneath the counter," Bira-sensei told her. "You'll be manning the shop the majority of the time, but I'll take over when you take your breaks. It's pretty slow in the mornings and gets busier when the schools let out, but I use this time to get alterations done and make new designs if I feel inspired—Ah, I know what I'll have you do once your clock starts."

As Sora took a seat at the counter, she noted the sewing machine along with a kit sitting underneath the counter where she placed her purse and scarf. When Bira-sensei returned, she handed a pair of jeans and dress pants with pinned needles lining their cuffs.

"I'm working on adjusting the waistband on a few skirts, can you help me with these?" Bira-sensei asked. "I promised the client these would be done today, but I forgot about them."

"I'll be right on it," said Sora, noticing Bira-sensei's nervous smile and laughter.

Sora grew to love sewing over the years. She hated it when she first had to do it for her mother when she was in high school, especially when she found it more fun kicking a soccer ball with Tai and his friends. But she found it useful, especially in university, when she patched up her skirts and other pieces of clothing instead of paying for new clothes.

"Aww, man, my shirt ripped," she remembered hearing Tai sulk one day a few years ago, when he came out of his room dressed in jeans and a white undershirt. "It was my favorite. I guess I'll have to throw it away."

In response, Sora snatched the blue-and-white plaid buttoned shirt from his hands, seeing the frown on Tai's face turn into a puzzled expression. "Give me five minutes," she said, disappearing into their room. She sat on the edge of the bed, carefully stitching the torn hole underneath the arm of the shirt with a needle and blue thread. She felt the mattress of the bed lower as Tai climbed on and crawled closer to her as she worked, eventually seeing his head looking over her shoulder as he watched her mend his shirt.

"Woooow, Sora," he said with fascination when she returned his shirt to him in one piece. He turned his shirt around and inside out. "You saved my favorite shirt. This is some kind of sorcery."

"I call it 'expertise'," Sora replied with a smile, which she let Tai kiss in return.

"Thank you. Hey, before I put this on…" Tai set his shirt aside, then slid his hand over hers. "How about I show you a little bit of my…'expertise'?"

Sora put her hands on his shoulders, stopping him from moving closer. "We have classes soon, Tai."

"In what, about forty-five minutes? We have time."

Sora held up her phone to stare at the time just to check, then looked back to meet his eyes again, his eyebrows raised.

"What did you want to show me?" she asked, her lips curling into a smile. Her hands crawled around the back of his neck, and his already started moving underneath her blouse and around her stomach as their lips joined before they onto the bed together...

"Excuse me?" Sora heard, and she blinked, immediately jumping out of her thoughts to see a concerned-looking woman standing across the counter. "Bira-san—wait…"

"Oh, no—I'm Sora, her new assistant. I'm sorry for the trouble. How may I help you?"

"Don't worry, I just arrived. I'd like to pick up my alterations. Jeans and dress pants."

"Coming right up."

Sora got up and went through the bead curtain, where she had hung the pants on the racks, complete of their alterations and covered with a plastic garment cover. It was also where she took a pause, trying to recollect what had just happened. It took her less than twenty minutes to cut and sew at the hem of each pant leg altogether, like it was second nature to her, so that led her mind to somehow wander to memories that lay inactive in her mind.

It annoyed her that her mind would wander to Tai. She tried to block the rest out as she took the pants from the rack and set it down on the counter. Then, she pushed numbers on the register as the customer swiped her credit card for payment.

"You aren't a niece…?" the customer asked.

"No relation to Bira-sensei whatsoever." Sora smiled, handing the receipt along with the pants over the counter. "Have a wonderful day!"

Once the customer left the store, Sora's smile faded as her worries resumed. She was so used to concentrating at work that everything else was pushed to the back of her mind to deal with some other time.

"I've got a skirt for you," Bira-sensei said when she appeared, placing it in front of Sora. "No rush though—I think we'll be caught up. This one is for tomorrow's pickup. Marvelous job with the pants, by the way!"

Bira-sensei disappeared, and Sora felt relieved, not only because she got complimented after her first task, but also because she had another task to keep her mind from wandering again. But as she took out a measuring tape and pins for the skirt, she already knew that she couldn't escape these troubling thoughts no matter how hard she worked.

It was an uncomfortable Sunday evening for both Tai and Sora, as she remembered. Uncomfortable, because of the silence between them most of the time. When she went downstairs to find something to eat, he had just set his bowl and chopsticks into the sink.

"I made tons of chow mein," Tai said. "Help yourself to as much as you want."

"Thanks," Sora told him, and she waiting for a stare back from him that she didn't receive in the end. "Talk to you tomorrow...?"

Tai held his hand up in response when he passed her and went up the stairs.

Sora wasn't used to Tai's silence, as well as this odd feeling he left her with that she couldn't quite place. Even before they broke up, he never let her keep her thoughts to herself. He always pressed her to speak her mind, just as he always wanted to do the same for himself. But on that evening, he was the complete opposite, and the elephant in the room stayed there, and only followed her into work the next day.

Sora greeted a few customers as they trickled in, though they ended up only browsing, so she was able to finish adjusting the skirt without any interruptions. And then, while to continue shutting her mind up, she went around to do a quick floor sweep, and make sure the displays were all in good order.

During her first break, she checked her phone to see two text messages. The first one was from TK:

" _Hiya! Just sending you some drafts I've been working on for you to read whenever you can. Tell me what you think!"_

Sora let out a squeal, but immediately looked around, hoping that she didn't draw any attention. Thankfully, the bead curtain stayed still and Bira-sensei didn't come in with questions.

The other message was sent from Mimi:

" _How's the first day, Soralove? I know you won't be home, but Izzy and I are going over to drop off a pie for you. I already told Tai, and told him not to touch it before you get home! Xoxo"_

Her excitement deflated by the time she finished reading Mimi's message. Sora hadn't talked to Mimi at all over the weekend, nor had she talked to anyone else, except for Joe. She figured now would be a good time as any to send Mimi a warning.

" _First day is going well. Things with Tai… are not. Don't act weird about it when you see him."_

Not even two seconds after Sora hit send, her phone signaled that Mimi was calling her.

"Meems, I have to go back to work soon," Sora said as soon as she picked up Mimi's call. "So, I can't talk right now, as much as I want to."

Mimi let out a groan. "Sora, you know I can't wait on details for things like this!"

"I'm sorry, Meems. I don't get out of work until later tonight."

"Tonight won't be good—Unless I tell Tai that things came up and I'll stop by tomorrow!"

"That will count as 'acting weird'. It's already weird enough between us as it is."

"What  _happened_ , though?!"

"I told you, not now."

"Fine..." Sora then heard Mimi let out a heavy sigh. "...How bad is it, Sora?"

"...It's bad."

"Oh, Sora…"

"I'll talk to you later, Meems."

Sora hung up with Mimi and composed herself as best as she could before going back to work. She knew what Mimi thought just by her last two words and the tone of helplessness as she said them. It was Mimi holding back her disagreement with how she handled or thought about certain things, like dedicating her life to her job and to being Mimi's maid of honor; or, even moving in with Tai when she was still letting her heart and mind fight over her indecision.

Mimi probably knew that Sora was to blame, and Sora wouldn't even deny it.

When Sora returned from her break, there were a steady stream of customers browsing in the store, and some that wanted to use the fitting room. As the afternoon turned into evening, Sora was kept busy ringing up purchases and running back and forth to the fitting room looking for dresses of a different size, and even an extra pair of shoes in the back. Even with three or four ladies in the store at a time, Sora felt busier than she did a bigger retail clothing store with a dozen or so people waiting in line to be checked out.

Even with the downtime before store closing, Sora felt exhausted by the time she closed up shop with Bira-sensei.

"That's the busiest it gets usually, but you handled it quite well," Bira-sensei said. "Monday evenings and Saturdays tend to be like that, and then it varies the rest of the week."

"I'm sure I'll adjust to it," said Sora, smiling, although being tired made it more of an effort to.

Sora found it hard to stay awake on the train ride to Tai's house. Luckily for her, the sound of the train doors sliding open was especially loud for her at her stop, and it jolted enough energy for her to make the walk back. That, and the fact that the chilly night air seeped through her scarf and into her jacket kept her eyes wide open.

She made her way through the front door before she got even colder. When she closed the door behind her and took off her flats, she embraced the warm air coming from the heater that must have been left on for hours, as well as the fire that was crackling lively in the fireplace. She was so tired, she couldn't think about making it to her room, but she would be lucky if she even made it to the couch.

"Welcome back," said Tai, and Sora realized she put her lasting energy in staring at the light of the flames that she didn't see that Tai was on the couch, laying on his back, holding his phone above his face.

"Hey," was all that Sora could gather. She was surprised that he greeted her, much less talked to her.

He sat up then, setting his phone down and looked at her. "You look exhausted."

Sora scowled at him. "Tell me something I don't know."

"You always have a rough first day." Tai patted the cushion to his right. "Have a seat."

"Oh…" Sora was startled at the gesture.

"I was about to head upstairs, anyway," he added.

"Right…"

As she took a seat, Tai's phone started buzzing with a melody. She recognized it as his ringtone for a phone call. When he looked at the screen as he picked up his phone, Sora noticed him staring at it for a while. Then, he pushed the button to turn off the screen and slipped the phone into his pocket.

"There's some leftover miso soup and some more chow mein, if you're hungry," Tai said when he got up from the couch and started walking. "Mimi and Izzy also stopped by and brought you two apple pies."

"Two pies?" Sora asked, and Tai stopped in the middle of the staircase.

"Yeah. I figured it would be one for each of us, but you know she doesn't give a damn about me." Tai cracked a small smile she didn't think he'd let out then.

"Not true.. but I bet you stole a slice already."

Now it was Tai's turn to scowl. "I wouldn't! Anyway, Izzy asked about you the moment they both got here."

"He did?" Sora couldn't help but giggle. "You know how Izzy can get sometimes. He can be in his own world and actually forget a few things here and there."

"Like his own best friend."

Sora knew Tai was saying that in jest, but she couldn't help but reply before he turned to walk up the stairs.

"For what it's worth, Tai—" she started, and Tai stopped to meet her eyes, waiting. Her voice caught in her throat, debating on whether she should say what she wanted.

"What is it?"

_I give a damn about you._

"Well… I… am willing to let you have a slice or two."

Tai laughed.

"Goodnight, Sora."

Sora waited until Tai disappeared and heard his bedroom door close to fall back onto the couch and cover her eyes with her hands. She wanted to avoid talking about the two of them, and he was making it incredibly easy. And, sure, they exchanged more words tonight than they did the night before, but the fact that he acted normal, maybe  _too_ normal, pained her more than it should have.

As she moved her hands from face and dropped them to her sides, Sora felt a stack of blankets fall to her side. Blankets that weren't normally hanging on the back of the couch, but had been hanging there before they fell on her.

" _You always have a rough first day."_

Sora thought about the awkward silence from yesterday, and his small, smile and his soft wary laughter from tonight. She realized the feeling he left her was a feeling she felt before, but not from him.

Tai had never been so cold to her.

But then, she wrapped both blankets around her with a tight hold. She turned over to lay on her stomach to watch the fireplace that he said he would leave untouched if she wasn't around, and she noted the toasty feeling from the heater on her feet. It was another night she avoided conversation about her conflicting feelings about him, but it broke her heart, realizing that his feelings about her were tormenting him even more.

* * *

Sora found it nice have all that time early on in the day before work in the afternoon. She had the house all to herself by the time she woke up. Before lunch, she fit in a good amount of jogging and exercise, tidied up her room and parts of the house, and even started reading some of TK's drafts. She curled up on the couch—where she practically lived at that point—with her laptop as she reviewed the drafts, editing some grammatical phrasing and adding comments about the story itself. TK impressed her with the characters he wrote, which were a group of human children befriending talking monsters from the fantastical world he was slowly but surely building. She didn't really have any other critique for him, other than wishing she had more to read.

After savoring that time for herself, Sora knew that she still had to call Mimi, which she ended up doing while getting ready for work.

"Well, it was bound to happen," said Mimi after Sora told her everything over the phone.

"You say that like you were waiting for a phone call like this," Sora said, her face sullen while she chose her outfit for the day. "And longer than me making you wait since yesterday."

"Sora, all of our friends saw right through the idea of living with him, and I know in your feisty little heart that you know you did, too."

Sora unhooked a blouse from her closet rack and held it mid-air. "What do you mean, 'feisty'?"

"If you're not going to admit you've been in denial with your feelings, how about you think about it another way and admit that you wanted all of this to happen with him!"

Sora scoffed, surprised at how especially blunt she was being. "Mimi!"

"Hmph. I figured you would deny that part, too. Next thing you're not going to admit is that you still haven't talked to him about it."

Mimi fell silent and Sora found a skirt to go with her blouse, but she couldn't avoid the tension from the other end.

"What's with you today?" Sora asked, trying to sound calm so as not to set Mimi off even more.

"Wedding stuff," Mimi said, not divulging any more than she normally did. "I need to make more calls anyway, so I'll talk to you later."

"Let me know if you need anything…" Sora said.

"Okay, Sora."

As Sora pushed the end call button, she sighed and dressed into her outfit, wearing black leggings underneath. She knew Mimi had her moments where she tended to snap at anyone she talked to, but she couldn't help but feel guilty after that conversation. Sora hadn't been helping Mimi out with the wedding stuff like she should have been, so perhaps Mimi was pushing her away in spite.

That, and Mimi was on the mark about her feelings.

She looked at the clock on her phone, which told her that she had to leave for her train soon. Out of habit, she pushed Mimi's conversation to the back of her mind with the rest of her troubles. She brushed her hair, put on her light makeup, threw on her jacket and scarf, and went on her way.

* * *

For the most part, Sora's shifts on Tuesday and Wednesday gave her enough work to keep her mind busy. There were a few more customers requesting alterations, some picking them up—all of them commenting about Sora's uncanny resemblance to the shop owner. An older woman came to pick up a dress from Sora while Bira-sensei stood next to her, and stared at the two of them in wonder.

"Why, you look like the spitting image of our lovely flower in her twenties!" the woman said.

"Take that as a compliment, dear," Bira-sensei whispered in Sora's ear. "I was a looker back then."

"That's not to say you still aren't one now," Sora replied curiously.

"Oh, dear, you are too kind."

But, naturally, there was downtime at the store, and naturally, Sora desperately needed something to keep her mind busy. On Tuesday evening toward the end of her shift, she sent a message to Matt asking if he was free to hang out.

" _I'm jamming with the band tonight, and then Tai wants to hang out tomorrow. What's up?"_

Sora paused.

" _Don't worry about it. I'll catch you some other time, then."_

She put her phone in her pocket, immediately thinking back to their breakup. Matt kept his thoughts to himself, but she felt guilty for putting him in the middle of her and Tai. She wanted to leave her message at that without him feeling that way.

Matt didn't respond after that, leaving Sora to assume that Matt was okay with it, and that she wouldn't see him for a while. However, as Sora sat on her train ride to Tai's on Wednesday evening, she heard her phone beep with a new message from him.

" _I hope you'll be back here soon,"_ it read.

" _What's going on?"_  she typed back.

Matt didn't respond, and when Sora tried to call him as she stepped off the train, he didn't pick up, either. She groaned, but figured she would find out when she arrived.

As soon as she opened the front door, Matt got up from the couch.

"Sora," he said, his expression grave. "Sora. Don't freak out."

Sora stared back at him. She looked around, at the kitchen behind him, then toward the stairs. It was silent, and there was no one else around. Her instincts told her contrary to the words Matt just spoke.

"Where's Tai?" she asked, calmly, at first.

Faintly, she heard the sound of running water from the sink in the guest bathroom around the corner behind the kitchen. Immediately realizing that Tai was there, Sora took a step in that direction, only for Matt to stand in front of her.

"I don't think you should go there right now," said Matt, his expression never changed.

"What is going on, Matt? Why won't you let me see him—Wait, what's that?"

Sora turned to the couch, seeing a dress shirt crumpled and dropped onto the couch. She figured it must have been Tai's, knowing his tendency to take off his shirts and carelessly leave them that way.

She just didn't expect to see smears of red on it.

Her anxiety rose as she grabbed onto the shirt, seeing the red spots on the collar and on the right sleeve. She was looking at blood, no doubt about it.

"Tai… Tai, where are you?" she called, her voice raised as she whirled around to the direction of the bathroom, the shirt clutched in her hand.

"Sora," said Matt, stopping her again. "Don't freak out when you see him-"

"I already am, Matt!" Sora's voice was now shrill. "He got himself into a fight, didn't he?! You can imagine how many times I've told him about his temper—"

" _Listen._  I had to talk him into cleaning himself up before you got home, so that's what he's doing right now."

"He still has ears to listen to me yell—"

"Sora,  _stop."_ Matt was now standing in front of her, holding both of her tensed-up shoulders and staring at her intently. "He called for you the moment we got here. He wants to see you, too. Just wait, okay?"

Sora looked into his piercing blue eyes that told her he wasn't going to back down until she agreed.

"Okay…" she said, feeling resigned. With that, Matt squeezed her shoulders, then let go of her gently before heading to the door. "Where are you going?" she asked then.

"Home," he said. "This is between the two of you. Just call me if you need anything."

When the door closed behind Matt, it was a little while before Sora finally heard the running water turn off, and then, footsteps against the hardwood flooring. She waited with bated breath for Tai to appear, fearing what she would see when showed up from the corner.

The moment he appeared, shirtless with a towel hanging over his shoulder, she saw it—A bruise forming purple and blue on his left cheekbone underneath a band-aid he pressed over it. Sora ran over to him, wanting to see what else he might have broken.

"What the hell, Tai?" she whispered in her worry, surveying his arms, his chest, her eyes searching the rest of his face. There was only the one huge bruise she saw, and when she gently raised his right hand, she noticed the back of his knuckles shining red. "Tai…" she held his hand up, standing closer to him, close enough to get a whiff of the lingering scent of alcohol in his breath. The more she relaxed at the sight of him being in one piece, the more she felt the fury rising in her chest.

"How could you let this happen?" Sora's voice raised as she talked. "You let someone get to you, didn't you? I can't believe you're still like this!"

Tai remained silent, but his eyes were on her, and he listened to her with his hardened stare.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" she continued. "I told you too many times,  _too many times_  to control yourself, no matter what it is they made you angry about!  _Especially_ when you're drunk! And now you got your face all banged up! Who the hell pissed you off this time?"

"Kaze," said Tai, his voice lowered, causing Sora's breath of fury to inhale back into her throat. "It was Kaze."

Wednesday night. Happy Hour. How could she have missed that?

Tai took a seat on the couch, leaving Sora standing speechless as her eyes followed him.

_He didn't..._

"He said things about you that I won't repeat here," Tai said. "Let's just say, he looks a lot worse than I do, and, well... I'm not going to Happy Hour again anytime soon."

Sora sat next to him, still in shock, and her anger cooling off, but still in disagreement. "Tai, it's not worth fighting, not even if it's about me—"

"You're wrong, Sora," he interjected. "You're wrong. About everything."

Sora was taken aback. His voice wasn't raised, but it was low, and forceful. She sensed the anger in his voice.

"Tai, calm down…"

"I will  _not_ calm down. I'm sick of you acting this way. Like anything that's happening between us doesn't matter."

"That's not true."

"It  _is_ true! Why do you think there's so much tension between us right now? Did I really get those vibes from you, or am I just being an idiot for thinking you actually were still in love with me, too?"

"No, Tai—I mean yes, I—"

"Which is it, Sora?"

Sora looked up, meeting his brown eyes she saw full of anger, but also sadness. The bruise was prominent, but nothing over the pain she could feel from the way he stared at her.

She couldn't take it anymore.

"No, Tai… you aren't an idiot."

With that, tears started running down her cheeks.

"Sora," Tai said, his face softening.

"I'm sorry, Tai," she said, taking a deep breath to stop herself from further tears. "You don't deserve any of this. You never did. I was terrible to you before we broke up, that's why we decided…  _I_ decided to break up…"

Tai frowned, but didn't say anything and let her continue.

"I can't be around you without knowing how much I hurt you, and especially living with you now, I only made it worse…"

"Sora…"

"And on top of that, you got into a fight! Because of me! Because of my  _stupid_ indecision with Kaze… with my career… with you…"

Sora lowered her head onto her palms, covering her watering eyes.

"Sora…" she heard Tai say. "Look at me."

"I can't…"

"Please..." His hands were on her wrists, and when she finally removed her hands from her face, he cupped his palms on her cheeks, holding her to meet his gaze. She didn't expect to see tears glistening from his eyes, but she also didn't expect to hear the next words from his lips, words that stopped all space and time around her:

"I love you, Sora."

As much as she thought it, she couldn't remember the last time she heard that from him, or even from her own mouth. Whatever the case was, her heart swelled hearing those words from him, but tears continued to fall down her cheeks and onto his hands.

"I don't deserve you…" she said through her tears.

"That's not the answer I want," he said, wiping them gently from her cheeks. It felt ironic, being comforted by Tai who was the one battered and bruised. But it might have said a lot more to her than she realized. He continued to wait for her until she answered back.

"I love you," she finally said.

"So, you do, then… That clears that part up, doesn't it?"

Before Sora could respond, Tai leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. His lips were warm and soft, with the slight bitter taste of alcohol as she kissed him back. When he pulled away, he brushed his fingers against her cheeks before holding his hands back as well.

"Saying that is enough for me, Sora," he said. "I just hope you figure out whether it's enough for you, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sora's job is easygoing right now, but she definitely needed more tough love personally, don't you agree? I was also going back and forth with how I wanted the Taiora at the end to go, but I'm satisfied with how that turned out. As always, feel free to review, flail, comment, spaz, etc. Your reviews make my daysss.
> 
> 'Til next update, Stay warm <3


	17. [i just do]

It was early Thursday morning when Sora woke up to soft chatter. For the moment she gained consciousness, she was confused as to where she was. The comforter over her was soft and kept her warm, and the surface she lay on was too flat, too firm to be the couch cushion. She opened her eyes and sat up, immediately noticing the flattened pillow and the comforter in a slanted fold beside her. That was when she remembered that she had fallen asleep in Tai's bed.

Neither of them talked the moment after Tai kissed her the night before. They walked up the stairs together, then parted in the hallway. Sora's mind raced as she drew her bath and sat in the tub, going over the night's moments over and over again. He might have been a little drunk, but Tai was always one to say what he truly believed, no matter how reckless he knew he was being, so she knew his words came from his heart on his sleeve. He loved her, and she loved him back. She mulled that thought over and let it comfort her, as much as the bathwater hugged her body with its comforting warmth.

He loved her, but she couldn't see how he could. Even knowing she broke his heart after breaking up, and how it had been between them the past few days. And even knowing what might have been said between him and Kaze.

" _You're wrong. About everything."_

Sora got out of the bathtub and wrapped a towel around herself. She wrung out the excess water from her hair with another towel, and then took out the hairdryer. It was still warm in the bathroom, although humid, from the steam of her bath, and she took care with the heat of the hairdryer. She found solace in the warm, enclosed space, feeling the rush of hot air from the dryer, and she didn't want to think about what she had to deal with once she left the space.

But, she knew she had to leave it sometime. She rubbed her lotion on and dressed into her shirt and pajama pants before opening the door, then she walked through the hall and into the bedroom, hoping that she could sleep her thoughts away, somehow.

Her internal debate, however, led her in the other direction, and she recognized that it wasn't her own bedroom she walked into.

"Sora?" Tai looked surprised as he stepped from his bathroom into his bedroom. He was dressed down to his boxer shorts, and the bruise was still changing colors on his cheek.

"Just… checking on you," she said, wary of being in his room herself. Even though they were locking lips earlier that evening, she was suddenly cautious of getting close to him.

"I'll be alright," he said. "The sting's going to be annoying for a good while."

A small smile formed on his lips, but Sora knew there was still pain behind his eyes. He stood there, wounded, and she yearned to hold him to help ease that pain, even if it was her who caused it. She wanted to watch him fall asleep to make sure he rested easy for the next day.

She wasn't sure how close she wanted to get to him right then.

"Well, I'll be in the other room, if you need anything," Sora said. She turned to the door to head back to her room.

"Stay," said Tai, and Sora stopped before putting her next foot forward, turning to face him.

"You want me to stay?"

"I want you to stay." Tai approached her, and her mind alerted her to step back, but her feet seemed to be glued onto the floor.

"Tai… When you said you loved me, and that it was enough, I…"

Her breath escaped her as soon as his fingertips fell gently on her cheek, and his intense stare boring deep into her.

"Why is it so hard for you, Sora?"

"You act like it's so easy…"

"That's because it is."

Sora felt her beating heart tighten within her, and even past her hesitation she brought her hand to his cheek, gently over the bruise.

"Doesn't it hurt, Tai?" she asked.

"In more ways than one," he admitted, causing them both to let go of each other. "It's so frustrating. How can you want the same thing as I do but still not want to be with me?"

"How can you even want me after all I've done to you?" Sora felt her eyes sting once again, her arms and her sides and her hands balled into fists. "I never wanted to hurt you anymore, and all I'm doing is hurting you even more!"

"I just do, okay? I just do…" His eyes left her hard stare, but fell down to her hand that he reached to hold. "It might not make sense at all. Nothing makes sense. I went to China, but I came back. We agreed to break up and be friends, but look where that's taking us."

Sora opened her hand for his fingers to intertwine with hers.

"You've been wanting to go to your room, but you're still in here. You're making this harder than it should be for yourself, Sora. Who cares what makes sense and what doesn't, anymore? Why not just do what your heart tells you?"

She paused to stare at him.

"You got that from Matt, didn't you?"

"I got that from you."

Both of her hands were in his, and his eyes met hers again. He drew closer to her as she looked up at him, standing inches apart.

"What is your heart telling you, then?" she asked, in a soft whisper.

"Do you really have to ask?" he whispered back, before he closed the gap between them and kissed her once again.

Sora didn't stop him. She closed her eyes with him and took in his sweet, warm breath and his soft lips joining hers. Her hands fell away from his, and made their way around the ripples of his toned stomach and up to his neck, where she felt his goosebumps forming.

Their mouths were still on each other, but he placed his hands on either side of her hips and led her to move with him toward the bed. She followed his lead, his lips like a magnet that she couldn't dare be apart from for too long between each kiss, only to part when her legs reached his bed, and she fell back against it. Tai crawled on top of her, his hands slowly trailing her stomach underneath her shirt and his lips now pecking at her neck. Craving more from him, she took her shirt off from over her head, knowing where he wanted to go next.

His kisses landed on her chest, and she let wordless sounds escape her mouth, feeling the gentleness of his lips, the warmth of his tongue releasing the chills all over her body running wild. Before long, her hands that were running around his back traveled up with her fingers digging into his long, mess of hair, and she grasped it as he entered her; and as she rocked along with him as one, she realized that she didn't really have to ask, after all.

She fell into a deep sleep after, but as the night's memories appeared in her clear conscious the next morning, she sat up in Tai's bed, wearing her clothes she put back on. Tai walked back into the room, still wearing his boxers, his phone in his hand, and his attention now on her.

"What are you doing up so early?" he asked. "You should go back to sleep."

He walked toward the bed and joined her underneath the covers, his back against the headboard, but leaving Sora confused. Observing his face, the tired lines under his eyes and the bruise as purple as ever, she understood the fact that he would want to go back to bed to sleep himself. However, it was still Thursday morning.

"You aren't going into work today?" she asked.

"I told my assistant I was taking today off. Besides, I just got off the phone with my boss. I have to pack for the next few days."

"What for?"

"He wants me to meet with some executives in Osaka. Something about trying to convince them to back out of a purchasing agreement."

"I see."

They sat together in silence. Sora saw that he was looking at her, but she looked down at the comforter and caught sight of his hand, which was fading pink compared to the shiny redness from the night before.

"How long will you be gone?" she asked.

"I'll be back by Saturday."

"Well… if anyone can give a convincing argument, it will be you, Tai."

"If only I could be so sure about that…"

Tai looked down at his injured hand, and Sora realized she had reached for it and was now lightly massaging it with her own. He stopped her, then lifted her hand to his lips for him to kiss.

Tai's phone rang again. And, to Sora's surprise, so did hers. She picked up her phone to see who was calling her.

"Mimi," said Sora aloud.

"...Mom," Tai said, sounding startled.

Tai got out of bed again, putting the phone up to his ear. Meanwhile, Sora answered her own phone call.

"Sora?" Mimi said. "Wow, I didn't think you would pick up this early. I was just going to leave a message."

"I… was in the middle of something," Sora replied, watching Tai slowly pace around in front of her.

"Really? Was I interrupting? Maybe I should call back-"

"It's okay. Tai and I were talking and he had to answer his own call."

"You and Tai? Oh, Sora...about that, I wanted to apologize for snapping at you yesterday."

"Mimi, don't apologize."

"You don't understand. I snapped at Izzy last night, too, and that's when I lost it! The wedding's just so close, and I know you've been busy with your own thing, so I didn't want to bother you, but now I feel like I'm a huge monster raging and stomping buildings all over the city for no reason!"

"Like… Godzilla?"

"Even worse - his fiance! And she's wearing  _a veil!"_

"Mimi…" Sora tried not to laugh then, listening to Mimi wailing in her ear. "Mimi, I'm the one who should apologize. I haven't been there for you as much as I should have these past few weeks."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"Hey," Sora said then with an idea. "Why don't you come over on Friday night? Tai's going to be out of town, so we can catch up."

Mimi sniffled. "That doesn't sound like a bad idea. Then, we can head to the dress place together on Saturday."

"It's the perfect plan. See, Mimi? You can make good plans without me helping you."

"I still can't do this all without you."

For the first time in a while, Sora cracked a smile. "I'll see you tomorrow, Mimi."

Sora hung up and set her phone aside, then lay back into bed, burying herself underneath the blanket. She was no longer worried about being on the outs with Mimi, though Mimi's words from the day before continued to glare in her mind. For months and months, she had been trying to live without Tai, believing that she could move on, and treat it like cold weather - just wear three or four layers, top it all off with a blanket, and she could get through it.

Maybe it was the state they were both in, but thinking about him leaving, even if it was only for two nights - even with the blanket over her she couldn't bear the cold she was about to face.

Maybe it was time to stop being in denial.

Soon, she heard Tai say goodbye to his mom, and then felt him return to bed once again. As soon as she felt him lay beside her, she moved closer to him.

"Hey…" Tai said gently, seeming cautious as Sora nuzzled against him. "What's with you?"

"I'm sick of the cold, Tai. I don't want to keep putting on layers before I finally give up."

"I… don't know if I would help much." He wrapped his arms around her. "Other than this blanket over us, you just have a hungover Tai in only his boxers."

"Maybe… maybe that's enough for me."

What Sora heard next was silence.

"Oh, I get it," his tone suddenly changed, and even with not looking at him she could feel him smirk. "You just want me for my body."

"That's not what I meant," she muttered, now feeling grumpy, but her cheeks going red.

"You always latched onto me before and told me I was just  _so warm_ , but why won't you just say it? I'm smokin' hot."

"Maybe I should sleep in my room, after all." Sora turned over but Tai stopped her.

"Okay, okay, Sora. I knew what you meant," he said, his tone less brash and more subdued. "At least, I think I do."

Sora rested her head against his chest as his arms tightened around her.

"Think about us while I'm gone, okay?" he whispered over her.

"Okay," she whispered back. Soon, she felt his arms relax around her just as her eyelids grew heavier, feeling relaxed herself, and she drifted off to sleep once again.

* * *

Thinking she wasn't going to see any of the Yagami clan anytime soon, Sora walked through the door of the boutique and was startled to see Tai's younger sister standing on one side of the store, browsing the casual shirts.

"Sora!" Davis yelled from where he and Kari stood. Bira-sensei snapped her head in their direction, most likely alarmed at the sudden loud voice.

"What are you two doing here?" Sora asked as she hugged a grinning burgundy-haired Davis and a nervously smiling Kari.

"I've been wanting to buy new shirts," said Kari. "Something nice, even when - you know." Kari put her hand to her stomach. Sora wouldn't have noticed Kari had a small bump forming through her flowy top.

Just then, Kari leaned closer to Sora, and so did Davis, and her voice lowered so only the three of them could hear. "We've been curious about your doppelganger boss."

"Really, Sora," Davis said. "Are you sure you were an only child?"

"Stop it, you two."

Sora left Kari and Davis back to browsing, and she clocked in with Bira-sensei, exchanging pleasantries and also sharing their plans for the weekend. While Sora talked about the final dress fitting with Mimi, Sora felt a bout of envy listening to Bira-sensei talking about closing the shop on Saturday for her trip to Paris.

"I always find inspiration for designs whenever I'm there," Bira-sensei told her.

"I'd love to go there one day," said Sora, listening with her chin resting on her palm, her elbow against the counter.

"Look at you, all starry-eyed, how  _darling!_ Tell you what, next time I go, how about you think about coming along with me? Consider it for business, if you will."

As soon as Bira-sensei disappeared into the back, Kari appeared in front of her with a few of the shirts picked out. One had a pattern of opened umbrellas, one had a portrait of a kitten lying beside an open window, and one had colorful diagonal stripes. Sora whipped out the key to the fitting room for Kari to go into.

"You're all smiles right now, Sora," said Kari cheerfully. "Did something happen?"

"Just talking business with the boss, is all," Sora replied. "You're all aglow yourself. How are you?"

"I'm doing okay. I'm hoping I can finish this semester before I take a break because of 'mini Kari' in here." Kari smiled as she rubbed her belly again. "I'm studying with TK in the library tomorrow for a few hours. Davis isn't too happy about it, but I always have to remind him that we're in the same literature class, and he's the only person I know. Plus, it's been over between us for a long time."

Kari had broken up with TK just before Sora, Tai and Matt graduated university. It surprised everyone, especially since the two appeared to be in love since they were in high school. Sora never found out the real reason, but, as breakups went, she saw that Kari had healed over time and started going out with Davis, who had been a longtime friend, and who also had an obvious crush on her since they first met. They hit it off, and they were now having a child together.

Sora felt a tug at her heartstrings as she thought about TK. Kari looked down at her belly thoughtfully, but Sora looked on sadly before unlocking the fitting room for her. Did Kari not see it?

"Oh, yeah." Kari looked up, remembering something. "When you see Tai, can you tell him Yuki's been trying to get ahold of him?"

Sora stopped before turning the key. "Yuki?"

"You know, Tai's old girlfriend. She emailed me since Tai wasn't answering his phone, and he hasn't been messaging me back at all. I've been bugging Mom to call him since he's being really annoying."

Was that why he got a call from his mom this morning?

The phone call he ignored the other day...

Why didn't he mentioned anything about it?

"Sora?" Kari asked, and Sora snapped out of her thoughts.

"Oh, well... I think I heard him talking to your mom this morning, so I think he got the message."

Kari frowned. "He'd better have. Sorry to have to bother you about it."

"Don't worry about it, Kari," she said, ignoring a new worrying thought growing in the back of her mind. "The fitting room is ready. Let me know if you need anything."

When Sora closed the door for Kari, she turned to see Davis hovering by the accessories and shoes, looking oddly concentrated. A pair of new customers walked in, to whom Sora greeted, and then, with curiosity, she stood next to Davis whose eyes stared down at the cotton slippers.

"Looking for something?" Sora asked.

"Oh! Sora, I need your help," he said, and she found it strange to hear him speak in a whisper, knowing he was generally a loud talker. "Do you think Kari would like these?"

"These?" Sora bent down and picked up a pair of fluffy cotton slippers, each slipper with an embroidered silhouette of a cat on its flap.

"Yeah. She's always talking about her feet hurting at the end of the day, and I'm sure it won't get any better once the baby gets bigger, you know?

Sora smiled at him, impressed at his thought. "You're so sweet, Davis. She'll love them for sure."

"You think so?  _Awesome-!"_

Both customers in the store turned in Davis and Sora's direction. Sora's eyes widened as Kari opened the fitting room door, holding all three of her shirts. Davis smiled and waved at Kari, who waved back with a smile, although confused.

"I might want to try something else on," Kari told Sora when she approached them. "Davis, what's with that face?"

Davis grinned a little too widely, and Sora could tell what he was hiding behind his back.

"I've just never seen someone more excited about having a baby than Davis is," said Sora, nudging him lightly. She then casually followed Kari to help her pick out more shirts, turning over to Davis from time to time, watching him wait with bated breath. Right when Kari went back into the fitting room, Davis gave Sora a huge sigh of relief.

Outside of being Kari's boyfriend, Sora didn't know Davis very well. Kari already hardly went to Mimi's monthly dinners anyway, but on one rare occasion she did, she brought Davis with her. It was also a dinner that TK didn't make.

Other than that, Sora met him a few times when she visited Tai's parents and Kari still lived with them. He reminded her a lot of Tai - their shameless weird hairstyles, their outgoing personalities, and their obnoxious affinity of beer and football. Even Tai always spoke highly of him every time he mentioned him.

"Stop laughing, Sora," Davis said with a frown as she rang up the cotton slippers for him.

"Sometimes, you're funnier than Tai," she said, stifling her giggles.

"I can't be more of a goofball than he is."

"You might be right."

It wasn't before long when Kari decided on what shirts to buy. Davis stayed at the counter to pay for Kari, who didn't know that the bag Sora placed the shirts in had the slippers already at the bottom.

"You're smiling again, Sora," said Kari.

"Something about goofballs, I guess," was Sora's reply this time.

Sora handed the bag to Davis with a wink, and Davis flashed a smile back. As he and Kari waved at her and walked toward the door, Davis turned around.

"Tell Tai I said 'hey'! And tell him to hit me up when Portugal gets the chance to beat Spain."

Sora narrowed her eyes. "No wonder he likes you so much."

She watched as the pair left the store, and Davis put his free arm around Kari's waist as she immediately wrapped her arms around his. The two smiled at each other and shared a kiss before walking away. Even past Kari's own drama with TK and her brother, she and Davis made it look so easy to be in love.

" _That's because it is."_

Surely, she wanted it to be.

With that, Sora took a seat at the counter, turning to the stack of skirts that Bira-sensei laid out for her to help adjust, feeling glad to be hanging out with her best friend tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Sora's still not quite where she wants to be, but at least she's getting there. Or, starting to. I've also been wanting to introduce Davis for a while now.
> 
> Thank you for reading and the kudos!!! As always, drop a line or two and tell me how you're feeling about them Colors.
> 
> Next chapter, nothing could prepare the "bridezilla" for this...
> 
> Like sands through the hourglass...
> 
> Stay warm <3


	18. [one true love]

Tai was gone by the time Sora got to his house on Thursday evening. It was the first time she entered the house with not one light turned on inside, and the heater was off, which made the house feel colder than the chill outside. She turned the light on in the living room and took off her shoes and jacket at the front door, then she threw her purse onto the couch, which was something she hadn't done since living in her own apartment.

She tried to think back to those days when she arrived to an empty place. She knew she could just switch the heater on, and she would warm up in no time. She knew she could push the button on the kettle to boil the water so she could relax with her tea. She knew she could draw her bath and let her worries float away with the steam. Maybe doing all of those things would help her think straight. Not about her career, though; at least, not at that moment. The first week at  _Birahana_ was going better than she expected, and she wanted to keep it at that rate, especially with everything else on her mind.

Sora did all of those things to fulfill her warmth, and then bent down in front of the fireplace with a lighter. Just as she clicked to spark a flame, she stopped the lighter right before it made contact with the wood. Sure, moving the flame by a mere centimeter would ignite the logs, and she would have her heat that she knew she loved so much - the heat that consoled her in a certain way that human interaction couldn't.

But she withdrew the lighter and blew the flame out with her lips. A different thought had been brewing in her mind that seemed to be a better idea than sleeping by the fireplace that night. She turned all the lights off, left the heater on, and walked up the stairs. She walked past her bedroom and went into Tai's, and, to her dismay, discovered that it was a mess. His clothes were everywhere, his bed was unmade, and his closet doors were opened and some shirts left half-hanged. How incredible for his room to appear as the aftermath of a tornado - considering she left him alone only for the few hours of her work day that day.

And yet, somehow… it all fit her idea perfectly. Sora climbed onto Tai's bed, pushing some of the clothes off as she crawled toward the pillows. She brought the comforter over her body, ensuring that it covered above her shoulders, and she leaned her head back against his pillow.

" _Think about us while I'm gone, okay?"_

Tai wanted her to think about them, and that was one thing she wanted to make sense of. Whether deciding to lay in his bed made sense or not, her decision brought her more than enough warmth and comfort to rest easy for the night.

* * *

Bira-sensei closed up shop early on Friday to prepare for her flight to Paris, which meant Sora got to leave work by early evening to go to Tai's house and immediately throw on her pajamas. She got the fireplace going, and she called in a delivery order for ramen. As soon as she put the phone down, she heard the doorbell ring.

When Sora opened the door, Mimi stood there in a dark green trench coat. She wore her long hair down underneath a matching beret, and as Sora saw when she looked further down, she noticed the pajama pants and pink, fluffy cotton slippers. Neither Sora nor Mimi mentioned what kind of night they were anticipating tonight, but it warmed Sora's heart, knowing that she and Mimi had the exact same idea.

Mimi groaned. "I am so tired, Sora," she whined. "I can't wait for this all to be over. I didn't even bring wine tonight."

"I'm tired, too, Mimi. It's been a week."

They exchanged smooches on each other's cheeks, and Sora helped her carry her extra bag of what looked like a pie for dessert, and set it down on top of the dining table. But, as Sora looked inside the bag, she noticed what was inside was darker in color.

"I needed to take a break from pies," Mimi added, putting her hands in the bag, and as she revealed what was in it, Sora gasped. "Chocolate mousse cake. I made it last night."

"Oh, Mimi, you are a godsend," said Sora, who was moved to hug Mimi and kiss her cheek at the sight of the cake. It was Sora's favorite cake, no matter the time of the year. Mimi rarely baked a cake of that kind, but whenever she did, it always seemed to be whenever Sora needed it the most. She thought back to one night in university when Mimi brought it to the apartment after Sora finished her second midterm. She had barely greeted an equally exhausted Tai with a kiss and an embrace before Mimi showed up at their door.

"I'm going to bed," Sora remembered Tai saying as soon as he saw the cake.

"Aww, are you sure you don't want to stay up with us?" Sora asked, noticing his arms gently retracting from her waist, but her eyes already locked on the chocolate goodness placed on the table.

"Nah. midterm tomorrow morning. Besides, I'd be fighting a losing battle against that cake tonight, anyway."

"Don't be silly, Tai."

Sora heard Mimi laugh then, when Tai closed the bedroom door without another word.

"He knows how you get when I bring this over," Mimi said. "I almost feel bad for him."

"I needed this, Mimi," Sora replied, bringing out two forks and not bothering to grab any plates.

Which was exactly what Sora did that Friday night as well, after she indulged Mimi with everything that happened between her and Tai, recounting every detail from the day she moved into the house. After devouring the ramen that was delivered to them, they sat at the dining table next to each other, and Mimi removed the clear plastic cover of the cake box.

"Hold on a minute," Sora said. "Should we really do this the night before the final dress fitting?"

Mimi gave her a look.

"I've been measuring myself every single day since Izzy popped the question, Sora," Mimi replied. "Twenty-five inches at the waist, Thirty-three at the hips. Nothing's changed after all that exercise and moving around enough, even with all that pie and ice cream. Don't think I haven't listened to you all these years, Sora, you said so yourself, that-"

"A little chocolate isn't going to kill you," Sora said along with her, almost laughing as she smiled. Mimi loved sweets and junk food for as long as Sora knew her, but started avoiding them in middle school after she saw that she had gained half a pound from eating a chocolate bar when a crush rejected her. She refused to eat anything of the sort until Sora's first year at university and Mimi's last year of high school, when Sora finally convinced her with a piece of the same type of cake they were about to eat at that very moment.

"Your words saved my life back then, you know," Mimi said, dipping her fork into the cake for the first bite. "How can I ever live without chocolate?"

Sora dug into the cake with her fork and took a bite, immediately sounding her satisfaction from its taste.

"Amen to that! This is  _so good,_  Meems."

The two of them took those moments without speaking as they slowly consumed the cake together. Sora savored the velvety texture of the cake along with the smooth creaminess of the mousse, letting it stimulate every one of her senses. Mimi giggled along with her, and Sora knew she was thinking the same thing as she did.

"You know, Izzy was trying to get me to give him a piece," Mimi said. "Obviously, I told him it was for the two of us. He went quiet and made a face that almost tempted me to give him some."

Sora's face fell at the thought of Izzy's sadness. "And you still didn't?" she asked.

"Of course not. I brought you a whole cake, didn't I? But...it was easy to talk him out of it."

"Even with his way with words, Mimi?" Sora went in for another piece with her fork, and Mimi gave her another look.

"Don't even start. He started going on about research and studying and whatnot, and that chocolate would have been a  _'beneficial source of stimulation'_  to keep him going, or something like that. I just told him I had a better idea for him…"

"Mimi!" Sora nearly spit out her piece.

"Totally kept him away from our chocolate, though." Mimi casually brought another piece to her mouth.

"One of the many reasons why I love you."

They both giggled as they continued chipping away at the cake.

"Perfect time for Tai not to be here, right?" Mimi said then. "If you had to choose between him or this-"

"This, Mimi. This."

"Ha! I can accept that."

It was at that moment Sora put her fork down and slouched back a little against the chair, the cake now only consumed by about one-quarter of the whole.

"I'm just finding this whole thing hard to believe, Meems…"

"What do you mean by that?" Mimi set her fork down, too, as she sat up.

"How can he still be in love with me? Love is just so weird."

Mimi laughed aloud. "What's really weird is that that sentence is coming from you. In fact, I think it's quite absurd!"

Sora jerked her head toward Mimi. "That sounds like something Izzy would say."

"Oh, hush. Maybe I'm evolving my vocabulary from being with him for so long. Sora, I thought after all these years of giving me advice, you of all people would understand just how weird love is."

"Well, yeah, but…"

"Really, Sora, you're worrying way too much about this. Think about what's happened between the two of you since you moved here - even since you ran into him and found out he was back in Tokyo. I think you've always known that you love him. You're just letting everything else in your life get in the way. And I'll be damned if you didn't want any of this to happen, either way."

Sora sighed.

"I did… I wanted this to happen."

"Wow… Takenouchi Sora, finally admitting her feelings!" A smile crept onto Mimi's lips, and Sora felt her cheeks warm. Mimi picked up Sora's fork and placed it back in her hand. "This calls for another bite! That wasn't so hard, was it?"

Sora only smiled back as she took the bite.

"I'm glad to hear you wanted it to happen," Mimi continued, her voice growing softer. "because, if I'm honest, I've been wanting it to happen again, too."

"Really?"

Mimi laughed again. "I can't believe you couldn't tell! You really are clueless when it comes to you and him."

"Joe mentioned that the other day," Sora said, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear.

"Then, that confirms how much the rest of us can tell. You can never be in a room with Tai without sparks flying between you two. Neither of you noticed it until the end of high school, but goodness gracious, did we all see it since middle school! If you still haven't realized that by now, you're kidding yourself."

"Then, maybe I've been kidding myself all along."

Sora noticed Mimi watching her as she took a few more bites. "Sora, I was jealous of those sparks. I never thought I'd find that with a guy, and you can remember how many guys I've dated before Izzy, and, you know, now I'm about to marry him in two weeks."

"What are you saying? That Tai is my 'one true love'?"

"That's something a character from Tai's favorite movies might say," said Mimi, giggling madly. "I could even say that this is you... 'evolving your vocabulary'..."

"Oh, Mimi…" Sora was blushing furiously now.

"I'm just saying, the sparks have always been there. I don't see them ever going away, but you never know, Sora."

Behind the blushing, Mimi's last words triggered another thought that Sora had been trying to avoid. The conversation with Kari yesterday about Yuki. She wondered if Kari finally got ahold of Tai, or if their mom's conversation was enough, and if Tai had already talked to Yuki by then. She remembered him telling her that she was thinking about visiting him one of these days, but whatever the case was, she couldn't help but be bothered by even a mention of her.

"Sora?" Mimi asked, and Sora realized she had fallen into her thoughts again.

"You're right, Mimi," she said, shaking her thoughts away.

"Well, I'm happy that you're considering everything I'm saying, this time."

The cake was a not even half-finished when they decided to call it quits. Sora made tea for the both of them, and, being too tired to do anything else, they shared a blanket on the couch to watch whatever movie happened to be playing on cable television that evening.

Mimi took Sora's hand and held the back of it for both of them to see. "You've been letting your nails grow for the wedding," she said. "You really do love me!"

"Enough to share a blanket with you, my love," said Sora in a mockingly deeper voice, pretending to inch closer to her.

"Oh, stop it, Sora," Mimi said, holding the back of her hand to her forehead in jest. "My lover Izzy is going to be jealous!"

They both giggled again, then leaned against each other underneath the same blanket. Mimi stopped pushing the remote button on a channel that showed an American actress, familiar to Sora, who was known for her intensity in dramatic roles.

"Ooh, Jennifer Lawrence. She's so great," Sora said. She figured Mimi stopped channel flipping for that reason, but Mimi also appeared to be stifling a giggle. Sora should have known the real reason as soon as the character walked out of the cabin and was suddenly surrounded by snow.

"Change the channel, Mimi!" Sora gasped and exclaimed, and Mimi burst into laughter as she stretched her hand holding the remote furthest from Sora as she fought to take it away.

"Come on, Sora, it's only  _'Winter's Bone',"_ Mimi said laughing heartily, before relaxing her arm and changing the channel again.

* * *

For good measure, Sora and Mimi went for run to the local park and did some exercises before their appointment at the dress parlor that Saturday morning. The three bridesmaids joined them at  _Kanbatsu Bridal_ , and everyone, including Sora, was looking forward to trying on the final versions of their dresses. Kanbatsu-san, the shop owner, was waiting for the five of them at the main showroom as they filed in, one by one. Racks of white gowns of different styles and designs lined the room, with the circular stand in the middle that was surrounded by large mirrors.

"My team has worked very hard on your dresses," Kanbatsu-san said with a smile. "My three assistants are here today to help fit your dresses. We have two rooms in the back for the maid of honor and bridesmaids. Mimi-san, we'll put your dress on out here."

Two of the assistants rolled out Mimi's dress on a rack, just as Kanbatsu-san began to usher Sora and the others toward the back. Sora walked, but her eyes couldn't seem to look away from the white gown they just rolled out.

Mimi stopped Sora, grabbing her forearm. Her eyes seemed to fill with worry.

"Something doesn't look right…" Mimi said.

Sora couldn't help but agree.

"That's her dress, right, Kanbatsu-san?" Sora asked.

"Why, yes," she replied. "It's the CocoLily Queen. Don't worry, honey, it'll look exactly like you want it when you put it on."

Still skeptical, Sora approached the dress, lightly running her hands over the lace and swirling bead embellishments.

"It feels like the dress, Meems… looks like it, too," she said, looking over the trumpet-mermaid design in the front, and the flowing train in the back.

"Hmm… okay," said Mimi with uncertainty.

Sora took Mimi's hands that she noticed were trembling a little. "Meems, I'll be in the back if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay."

Sora squeezed Mimi's hands in comfort before following the bridesmaids to the fitting rooms, where they discovered the four, identical lavender dresses on one rack.

"Maid of Honor, I would like to fit you first," said one of the assistants with a smile. The assistant handed her dress over as Sora was led into the large fitting room. "Call me when you're ready," the assistant told her before closing the curtain behind Sora.

Sora slipped into the dress, which fit her perfectly. She surveyed the delicate floral lacing of the top of the dress, the half sleeves reaching just above her elbows. The silky skirt flowed from her waist down to her ankles. Lavender was a beautiful color against the tone, and she was pleased that Mimi chose a color that would at least complement her.

"Thank youuu, Mimi," she said to herself, turning her hips slowly from side to side.

On that note, she heard Mimi scream.

Sora threw the curtain open from the fitting room, startling the assistant standing right outside. The other two bridesmaids turned toward the direction of the scream, and the third peeked from behind the curtain of her dressing room.

"SOOOOORAAAAAAA!"

Sora held up the sides of the skirt of her dress, and rushed through the door, barefoot, running out back to the main showroom. Mimi had collapsed, the skirt of her wedding dress sprawled against the floor, and her hands covered her tearful face. Kanbatsu-san tried to speak words to calm her down, while the assistant helping her out stood back with her hands frantically waving around.

"Mimi," Sora tried to sound calm, but raised her voice so she could hear over her wailing. "Mimi, I'm here!"

"This is a  _disaster!"_  Mimi cried. "How could this happen to me?! Sora, look at the back, just  _LOOK AT IT!"_

Sora gently lifted the train of the dress up along with her to look closer. The straps at the front looked fine, but then when Sora looked at the back…

"You must have lost weight, my dear-" Kanbatsu-san suggested, but Mimi cried harder.

"Twenty-five, thirty-two, lady!  _TWENTY-FIVE, THIRTY-TWO!"_

Sora looked over the open back of the dress, and her heart sank. Not only was it loose even when it was buttoned up, but the back was curvier than it should have been. The measurements were all wrong.

"N… not twenty-eight, thirty-five?" The assistant said with a meek tone.

" _OBVIOUSLY NOT!"_  Mimi screamed, now getting ready to stand, her face menacing. "I want my money back! I want it back  _right NOW!_ "

Both Kanbatsu-san and the assistant ran off as Sora grabbed hold of Mimi by the waist to prevent her from charging forward.

"Mimi -  _Mimi!"_  Sora said, holding her surprisingly strong best friend with all her might. "Please, control yourself!"

"My wedding is in two weeks! How can I possibly do that?!" She stopped struggling out of Sora's arms, but then her weight fell back against Sora, and she quieted down but continued to sob.

"Look at me, Mimi," Sora said as she turned her around to face her. "Stop crying or you'll ruin the dress."

"It's already ruined, Sora.  _Everything_ is ruined. I'm not giving this dress back to this place. They'll screw it up even more."

Sora had a thought, then. It was a crazy one, but not something that was foreign to her.

"Mimi… what if I fixed it?"

Mimi looked up at her, surprised. "What?"

"Let me… Let me fix it. Give me a week. I know it's cutting it close, but I think that'll be enough time for me to do it."

Mimi's look of surprise stayed with her, but her tears stopped streaming down her wet cheeks.

"You would do this for me?"

"Of course, Mimi. Anything."

"Oh, Sora…" she appeared to cry tears of joy. "I trust you over these so-called professionals…"

"Mimi…" Sora sighed, but said nothing more. She knew Mimi was incredibly upset and was just venting her anger.

* * *

Sora decided to part ways with Mimi and the bridesmaids from the shop. As soon as Mimi took off the dress, she refused to look at it until it was completely mended. Mimi's demands ended up getting her a full refund for all the dresses, including Sora's and the other bridesmaids'. Sora trusted the bridesmaids to keep Mimi company for the remainder of the day and throughout the week, and she promised to check in with Mimi on the dress every so often while she fixed it.

It was odd holding large garment bag along with a smaller one on the train ride back to Tai's place. She sent a text to both Matt and Izzy on the way back, just in case Mimi was too distraught to tell either of them what had happened.

As soon as Sora got to Tai's house, she shot straight for the stairs and her room to make sure she had an extra clothing rack free for Mimi's dress, and for her dress to hang. She pulled from underneath her bed the large case of sewing pins and needles. Then, she lay back against her bed, stared at the ceiling, her mind racing. She'd have to make a list of any fabrics, beads, any other knicks and knacks to help her make this work. It wasn't as though she hadn't altered any clothing before. It wasn't as though she had never been in a situation where she was pressed for time. But this was for not just any kind of dress - it was a  _wedding_ dress -  _Mimi's_  wedding dress, at that. She almost thought to call Bira-sensei then, just for any kind of guidance on this-

Bira-sensei was in Paris, though. She'd have to contact her some other time. Maybe, when Sora returned to work on Monday afternoon.

Sora then turned her head to eye the dress again. She knew Mimi's body measurements by heart, but all the adjustments she had to do, and with the precision she needed to do it with.

_Twenty-eight, thirty-five…_

Those were Sora's measurements. She wondered if the assistants got it mixed up sometime along the process and put her measurements on the Mimi's dress by some unfortunate mistake. She sat up, her eyes wandering toward her own lavender gown, but going back to Mimi's dress. Wouldn't it have been more of a disaster if they switched them all together?

Curiosity planted in her mind, and it only grew. Sora got up from her bed, walking toward the dress. She ran her hand along the back of the dress with a look of disgust.  _Definitely going to fix this U-shaped mess here…_

In her head, the switching of measurements between her and her best friend lead to the switching of roles. The thought never crossed her mind before then, but there was no doubt that she would choose Mimi as her own Maid of Honor.

But, the thought of Sora actually getting married...

Sora let her curiosity run wild, and she put the dress on, just to see how it would look on her. She stood in front of the mirror, and, lo and behold, the dress hugged her hips and her waist, just as she figured. Looking up towards the bust and burst into laughter with a few inches of extra room. Mimi was blessed there.

Staring at herself in a wedding dress - it was puzzling to her. She hadn't ever thought about marriage, at least not for herself. She wanted to get married, but really thought it would happen down the line, way far into the future, which was why it was something that she pushed all the way to the back of her mind all these years. Girls dreamed it in high school, but why did she have to? She thought she would have figured the rest of her life first before thinking about this concept.

Sora didn't know how long she stood in front of the mirror when she heard a knock on her bedroom door.

"Sora? I'm h…"

She turned to the door to see it slightly ajar as it pushed open, revealing Tai standing on the other side. He looked tired, most likely from traveling, and his bruise looked as though it was already healing. But he stood frozen with a stunned look on his face, his duffel bag hanging on his fingers as though he was about to drop it.

Sora opened her mouth to say something, but she found herself unable to speak, or even move, either.

"Hey," she finally managed.

"H-hey…" Tai said, slowly lowering his duffel bag to the floor.

"Um, Mimi…" she said, still trying to fight off her scrambling thoughts on how to explain herself. "This is Mimi's dress. I'm supposed to be fixing it. It's… It's not mine…"

"Ah…" Tai's face appeared to relax a bit, though he still seemed startled. "Right..."

Tai walked away, disappearing from her door frame, and Sora found herself sighing with relief. What was  _that_ just now? Did he think she was suddenly planning a wedding of her own? And why,  _why_ was she caught off guard just as much as he was?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The dress mishap was loosely based on a true story - it happened to a friend, who luckily had a friend who was a seamstress - so it worked out for her! The pictures she showed me of the messed up dress though, eep...
> 
> 'Kanbatsu' is Japanese for 'drought'. I was going by Mimi's digi partner and what the misfortunes from there would entail.. D:
> 
> And about the end of that chapter. Interesting how Tai reacts a certain way when it comes to a certain subject, eh? Just sayin'.
> 
> Thank you lots and lots for reading! 
> 
> Hope it's warm wherever you are. Been hearing about freezing cold weather in some parts of the U.S. and the rest of the world, so, please, use this chapter as a blanket.
> 
> Stay warm <3


	19. [amazing]

After Sora dressed out of Mimi's dress to hang and put on a shirt and pajama pants, she had calmed down enough to confront Tai with a better explanation. When she walked out of her room, she noticed his door was left ajar, but it was dark on the other side. She peered in quietly to see that he had fallen asleep.

It was early Saturday evening, although Sora figured that he was exhausted from his long trip, which explained why he looked like he was ready to pass out when he saw her. Aside from the fact that he saw her in a wedding dress.

She couldn't let go of that moment as she walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to figure out what to cook for dinner. She wasn't always keen on wearing dresses - she had only given in to wearing them after Mimi's pleas to wear one with her during the school festival in her second year of high school. After that, Sora wore them occasionally, sometimes on a date, or to a special occasion, or even a night on the town with Mimi. Tai always complimented her on how nice she looked, even before they started dating, with the exception of the first time he saw her in a black cocktail dress, which was Mimi's favorite on her.

"Wow," was all Tai said then, and at first, Sora was left confused, but as soon as she and Mimi headed towards the bar, Mimi burst into giggles.

"Girl, there's nothing to be confused about," Mimi said. "You look hot in that dress! You just took his breath away."

Sora blushed at the memory as she stared over a pot of boiling noodles. Perhaps she took his breath away earlier just the same.

She stirred more ingredients into the pot and a yawn escaped her lips. The day was tiring overall, what with consoling Mimi and listing out her plan on fixing the dress, and she knew she had to prepare herself for the grueling week ahead.

There was another yawn, but not from her. Sora turned to see Tai groggily walking down the steps, dressed down to a cotton shirt and boxers.

"Aurora," she said, watching him yawn again.

"No… More like Beast," he replied as he ran his hand through his hair. He walked over until he stood next to her to look over the pot. "The smell woke me up."

Sora frowned, feeling guilty. "I should have closed your door."

"No big deal, Sora. I am more forgiving when it comes to food." With that, his sleepy frown turned into a sleepy grin. The noodles were ready by then, and Sora turned the stove off. She moved to grab bowls from the cupboard when Tai stopped her.

"Allow me," he said. "Table or living room?"

"Living room," she said with a smile. She headed over to the living room to ignite the fireplace, then took a seat by the fire.

"Hey, there's chocolate cake in the fridge-" Tai called out.

"Don't touch that," Sora interjected.

Soon, Tai joined her, handing her a bowl of ramen topped with a pair of chopsticks. As they ate together, Sora listened to him talk about his trip, how the train rides were long, and that the executives were persistent, but he successfully talked them out of the deal.

"They were wondering about my cheek," Tai added. "Luckily, I got them to laugh it off when I told them I got hit by a baseball."

Sora nearly choked. "You  _hate_ baseball," she said.

"That's what I told them. Really drives the point home, doesn't it? But, I just couldn't say no to my best buddy Yamacchi. At least my team won with my five home runs."

"You didn't tell them that?!" Sora was already laughing at this.

"They have my name down for their next community game. I told them to add Matt's, too. I texted him right away, and he has already ended our friendship."

"Poor Matt."

"Poor Matt?" Tai mocked a grimace. "I just lost a friend too, you know."

Sora giggled as Tai smiled at her. For the time sitting by the fire, Sora felt comfortable with him as they ate together. She told him about her first week at her job and Bira-sensei's uncanny resemblance to her.

"Kari did mention that when she called me yesterday," Tai said then.

"Oh," Sora said, remembering her last encounter with Kari. "So, she finally got a hold of you, then?"

"Yeah…" Tai lifted his hand up to scratch his head. "She's been on my case about getting in touch with Yuki. I've been avoiding her, so she's been asking Kari why. That's why Mom called the other day, because I've been avoiding Kari about it, and Kari knows that I always answer Mom's calls, the little sneak…"

Sora watched Tai look toward the fire, and she wondered what he thought about. In any other time, he would speak his mind and she would listen and wait until she was able to offer her advice. Obviously, this wasn't any other time. For all Sora knew, he was thinking about Yuki, or maybe, even about her…

"Have you talked to her?" Sora asked. "I mean, a while ago, didn't you say she was talking about visiting?"

Tai laughed under his breath. "I told her last week that it wasn't a good time to visit. That's when I started avoiding her."

_Was it because of me?_

Sora inhaled, feeling the breath between her teeth.

"I think you should talk to her, Tai."

Tai looked up at her. "I should?"

"You shouldn't leave her wondering. At least, let her know what you're thinking instead of leaving her in the dark." Then, Sora smiled, looking to the fire herself as she brought her knees up to her stomach to hug. "Just like I've been doing a lot with you."

She felt his eyes on her for a long while, until he turned to face the fire again, both of them now looking into it.

"I always forget how calming this is," Tai said. "No matter how many times I've seen you do it."

"You're always missing out, otherwise," she said.

They fell into another silence as they sat together. As much as the thought of Yuki bothered her, she thought it was only right for Tai to sort things out with her, whatever those things might have been. Even though he mentioned how much he liked Yuki, there were still things he withheld about her, about just how serious they were before he broke it off, and whether he actually loved her.

The questions started seeping into Sora's brain. Did he ever love Yuki? How serious were they? Would he consider getting back together with her? And, seeing his reaction to the wedding dress… Did he ever think about marrying her?

"I should go to bed," Tai said with another yawn. He got up and stretched his arms out. Sora didn't want him to go. She got up with him, the two of them standing in front of the fireplace, and, knowing what she wanted then, she pulled him closer in a gentle embrace.

"I missed you," she said quietly, resting her head against his chest. Moments later, she felt his arms wrap around her waist and tighten.

"I'm glad," he replied, just as softly. "I figured I was dreaming when I noticed my room cleaned itself."

Sora laughed, and they held each other in silence, swaying back and forth a little as though they were doing a slow dance. She felt at peace in his arms, the warmth and comfort better than the fire's glow. When she looked up, however, she expected to see Tai's brown eyes looking down at her. What she saw instead, was his face lowered, his lids closed, and his breathing steadying.

"Tai?" Sora brought her hands to his shoulders with her eyebrows furrowed, and lightly shook him to wake him up.

"Mm..?" His lids slowly opened, but clearly he wasn't going to fully wake up.

"Think you can make it up the stairs?"

"Mmm…"

"If you crash on the way up, I'm leaving you there."

Tai mumbled something, but thankfully, Sora walked up the stairs with him without a crash or even a stumble. She brought him to his bed, then got ready for bed herself before joining him afterward. As soon as she settled in, he immediately brought her closer to him before he finally fell into his slumber. It brought a smile to her face and put her mind at ease, and for once, she went to bed without any of her noisy thoughts nagging at her mind.

* * *

The thoughts were buzzing loudly as Sora got up early Sunday morning. She rolled out of bed, seeing Tai still sleeping like a log, and she decided to let him sleep in. After grabbing a quick bite to eat, she sent a text to Mimi to let her know that she was going to begin the dress recovery soon, something she knew would put Mimi at peace to keep her mind away from the fiasco. In the midst of that, she received a text from Matt, which said that he was coming over soon.

"How's the dress?" Matt asked the moment Sora opened the door.

"I haven't even started," Sora replied, shooting him a look.

"I figured - I called Izzy on the way here. Mimi just wanted me to ask you when I told Izzy that I was going to see you."

"I sent her a text already."

"You know how she can get."

Sora sighed. "I did tell her I was going to fix it in a week… What was I thinking?"

She had been trying to stop herself, but her mind was already racing with thoughts, making the list of things she needed to buy, and where she needed to go to get it all done.

"I have to make sure I have everything I need," she began to think aloud, and started to pace back and forth in front of the couch, where Matt calmly took a seat. "I have to go to the shop today. I have a good sewing kit, but I need to get lace, maybe extra beads and extra thread in case I need them…"

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Matt said, but Sora kept pacing, wondering what Bira-sensei would do in this situation, and then she cursed out loud.

"I'm supposed to do this all while going to work! I can't take time off on my second week!"

She fell back onto the couch with a sigh as she sat next to Matt.

"This is all for Mimi," she continued, in hopes that saying it aloud would quiet her worrying thoughts. "She's my best friend. I want her to be happy on the happiest day of her life."

"I think you're worrying too much, Sora," said Matt. "You're absorbing Mimi's worries and making them your own. You're going to do great."

"I don't know, Matt." She sat up and looked at him worriedly. "There's just so much to do, and so little time." She fell back onto the couch again, shutting her eyes and trying to envision the end product of the altered dress. "I guess I need to buy a new sketchbook, too. I can't keep the designs all in my head."

"You don't have to," Matt poked her at her side. "That's actually why I came by."

"What…?" Sora opened her eyes to see a familiar book in front of her - one that she thought had been thrown out. She lunged forward and grabbed the book from Matt's hands. Not believing her eyes, she opened it and paged through, seeing her own drawings, some in gray graphite, some with different colors and shades - all a chronology of her past doodles, ideas, and projects.

Sora closed her sketchbook, and droplets of tears from her eyes began to fall on it. She was so glad, and surprisingly to her, relieved to see it back in her hands.

"I didn't think you'd want to let your dream die that quickly," Matt told her. "I know there's a lot you've been thinking about since what happened at your last job, but I figured now was a good time as any to give it back to you."

"Oh, Matt…" Sora set the sketchbook down, then kissed Matt's cheek before throwing her arms around him for a hug. "You're the best. Thank you."

"Anytime, Sora." Matt hugged her back, rubbing her back in comfort.

When she pulled away, she laughed in embarrassment as she wiped her tears away with her hands. She picked the sketchbook back up. "Before now, I would have yelled at you for keeping it, and maybe I would have thrown it back in your face. Weird, because I've never done anything like that to you."

Matt smiled at her. "Funny you say that. You shouldn't give me all the credit for keeping this, you know."

Before Sora asked what he meant, she heard footsteps walking down the stairs.

"Morning, Sora, Matt..." Tai said, stopping in the middle of the staircase as soon as he noticed the sketchbook Sora's hands. Sora realized then, that Matt didn't have to say any more. She got up from where she sat and started walking towards Tai.

"You told Matt to keep this, didn't you?" Sora asked him, already knowing the answer, and Tai's face hardened.

"Of course, I did, Sora. I couldn't let you throw away something I knew was important to you, even if you were screwed over. I knew that thing made you happy otherwise, and-"

Sora cut him off when she met him in the middle of the stairs. She grabbed his collar and pulled him towards her to kiss him. He took hold of her shoulders in his surprise, and she felt the warmth and softness of his lips against hers as he fiercely kissed back. When their lips parted, her eyes opened up to meet his, his breath soft over her and his face relaxed as she looked back at him in awe. Sora brought her lips to his once more, before she parted with him again, brushing her hand against his cheek as she walked up the stairs past him.

Matt let out a low whistle after that, and Sora's lips curled into a smile as she noticed from the corner of her eye, that she left Tai speechless for the second time that weekend.

Matt stayed the rest of the day to hang out with Tai, but Sora sat atop her bed the whole time, sitting cross-legged with her sketchbook on her lap as she sketched out the wedding dress hanging before her. She had already placed a few safety pins on the back of the dress where she meant to tighten the waist and hips, and she knew she had to find the part on the back to smooth out the loose, gaping straps that looked the most flattering. Just pinching the straps on either side for the desired fit didn't seem to be enough.

Sora tried to sketch it out. Rearrange the embroidered lacing?  _No - that's too big of a task,_  she thought as she erased the new lines from her pencil. What about adding more beads, somehow?  _What if it ruins the whole dress altogether?_

 _Should I just do all of that, and redesign the whole top?_ It would be a whole lot to do within a week, but the more she detailed it in her sketchbook, the more it convinced her that she could. She could see the placement of the flower-patterned lace that fell off the straps of the bodice that gave a look of elegance and glamour, with the subtle swirls of beads that gave the dress an overall glow.

She preferred this look over the dress hanging in front of her. For a moment, maybe a split second, Sora might have felt a fire light within her, sparking inspiration that this was something she could do in a week's time.

_This is impossible._

Sora let out a yell of frustration, closing the sketchbook shut and throwing it against her door. Her door, which she didn't realize was open, and where both Tai and Matt stood there until they jumped out of the book's way.

"Alright, there, Sora?" Matt asked, and her guilt faded as soon as she realized neither of them were hit. Quietly, she walked out of her room, picked up the sketchbook from Tai's hands, and walked back into her room, slamming the door shut.

"I guess we should give her some space," said Tai's voice, muffled through her closed door.

* * *

The days were getting colder than normal for temperatures during the last half of October, but Sora was bundled up enough for the chillier evenings. Especially on Monday evening, when Sora had to carry a mannequin on the train back to Tai's house.

Bira-sensei offered to let her borrow one of hers while she worked on Mimi's dress. Sora had brought her sketchbook with her to work in case she came up with new ideas on her downtime, and ended up letting Bira-sensei flip through it.

"These are beautiful, Sora," Bira-sensei said, then flipped to the page with the last drawing. "Wow… are you designing this?"

"I don't know, sensei," Sora replied. "I'm redesigning it, I guess. I spent all morning placing pins all over the dress. I just don't know if I could make it work."

"If anyone can do it, it's you."

Sora looked at her in surprise. "You think so?"

"When I promise a customer pants alterations in three days, you get it done in one. You're not only a fast worker, you do it all with love and care and such precision. Take one of the dress forms in the back - I insist!"

So, Sora took a dress form, which received a number of stares as it stood next to her on the train. The last odd stare came from Tai the moment Sora unlocked the front door and carried the mannequin in with her.

"Welcome back..." Tai said, his voice trailing off from the couch as Sora kicked her shoes off at the door, then trekked past the living room and straight up the stairs.

"Bira-sensei let me borrow it," Sora said on the way up.

"Aren't you hungry?"

"I'll come down for a snack later."

Sora set the mannequin in her room and put the wedding dress on it. Somehow, it helped her visualize the design in her sketch better. Bira-sensei's conversation echoed in her mind, and her mind raced again with motivation to keep going. Pulling the dress off of the mannequin, she sat in front of the sewing machine on her desk, scissors, pins and needles in tow, and got to work.

* * *

Sora woke up more tired each morning, but her mind remained set on fixing the dress. She rarely go to check her phone, but when she did, she had to send replies to Joe and TK with apologies and that she'd talk to them later.

However, she never missed a check-in phone call with Mimi and Matt. By the looks of it, the dress could be fixed by Saturday. She told this to Mimi over the phone Wednesday morning, as she ate breakfast that Tai left her on the table, and Sora knew that explaining every detail relaxed Mimi's heightened, panicked tone. Still, it didn't make Sora feel any less of the pressure.

"Tai and I took Izzy out last night," Matt told Sora. "We knew he needed time away from Mimi. He was looking a little stressed out himself."

"Thank goodness the bridesmaids have been visiting Mimi all week," she replied. "I wish I was there to help them out."

"You're already helping a great deal by fixing up her dress."

"The hard part is sewing some of the beads on by hand, but at least I've got the proportions of the top to fit her size. To think, they got the measurements mixed up with mine."

"It would've been so funny to see you try it on."

Sora realized that she never mentioned it to Matt, and suddenly felt nervous to tell him.

"I… I did, actually," she said.

Matt paused. And then, he started to laugh.

"It all makes sense now. Tai caught you wearing it, didn't he?"

"Yeah… just as he came home on Saturday - What in the world is so funny?"

"I'm sorry, Sora. I can't tell you. Tai will kill me."

"Matt!"

"It's one promise I can't break."

She decided not to pester Matt about it, knowing that he was the best at keeping promises, especially when it came to Tai. Besides, she figured it best to spare her energy toward finishing the dress. She worked on it a little more before going to work. She finished the last of the bead sewing, despite breaking a thread or two, but she knew that she would jump right back into working on it the moment she got back to Tai's place that evening.

Tai was in the kitchen when he greeted her as she returned from work. She mumbled a "Hey," and headed straight toward the stairs again, her mind set on hurrying along to get back to the sewing machine in her room.

"Did you want something to eat?" Tai asked.

"Not now, Tai," she said, distracted by her thoughts. She was just about halfway done, and if she pushed herself enough, she could get a good chunk of sewing done tonight. Otherwise, how much time did she have left?

"Are you sure?"

"I'm going upstairs." Sora heard the sense of worry in Tai's voice, but she also couldn't erase the to-do list running in her head.

"Wait," said Tai.

She stopped at the foot of the stairs where Tai met her, and he pulled her into his arms.

"What…"

He didn't respond, and held her in the few moments of silence. Her initial thought was to protest, to break away from him and tell him now wasn't the time. But the urge to rush up the steps, the worries the ran through her mind faded away as each moment passed, and the warmth of his embrace, the slow rising and falling of his chest against her had a calming effect she always forgot that he possessed.

"Sometimes, I wonder if I didn't hold you enough," he said. "Even during the hardest times."

He was talking about the time before their breakup.

"You're thinking about this now?" Sora asked, surprised that he brought it up.

"I always wondered what went wrong. You were spending so much time at work, and all I wanted was for you to spend more time with me. I realize now that I argued more about what I wanted back then, without considering you."

"We both did that, Tai. I did it worse." Sora pulled away and cupped her hands on either side of his face, and his hands held her at her hips. The somber look in his eyes made her curious, and worried. "Why are you thinking about this?"

"I've barely seen you these last few days. I know you've been extremely busy, but as long as you know that I'm still here for you."

"I know, Tai," she said and she brought his face forward for a kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he replied, his face suddenly sheepish and his cheeks red. It was unusual to see him embarrassed, but she adored it whenever she caught sight of him that way. After one more kiss on his lips, she went up the stairs to her room.

Sora thought back to the hardest times before their breakup, when there were more selfish words spat out between them. There were even times they couldn't stand their anger, that she left the bed in the middle of the night to sleep the rest of the night on the couch.

As Sora observed the unfinished dress, she thought about what their relationship was like back then, and what it was starting to become now. Part of her felt that she hadn't changed at all; ever since she started working on the wedding dress, her focus had been on just that, and she had next to no interaction with Tai the last few days. Even then, it surprised her for Tai to be blaming himself. She felt that her neglect was a fault she would find hard to get away from, but it was one of many her faults Tai didn't seem to care about, and as he held her tonight, she realized how much he wanted to be with her, regardless.

_"I love you."_

She said it without holding back, letting it roll out of her tongue so easily.

Slowly, she started to realize just how much she wanted to be with him, too.

* * *

On Thursday evening when Sora arrived from work, she found Tai slouching on the couch as he watched whatever was on the television. She greeted him with a kiss, to which he slightly paused in his surprise, but it didn't take him long to eagerly kiss back. She grabbed an onigiri from the plate left on the dining table and went back to the couch where she sat next to him and leaned against his chest as she munched on the onigiri.

"Taking a break tonight?" Tai asked, bringing his arm around her shoulder.

"Just for a bit," she said, nuzzling into his shirt, not realizing that her eyes were drooping.

The next thing she knew, she had woken up on her bed, covered under two blankets. The brightness against her window told her it was already Friday morning, and she felt a little more refreshed than she had been the whole week.

She checked for a message from Tai on her phone, which she saw waiting for her:

" _Hope you had a nice break, Aurora. ;) There's breakfast for you on the table. Wear an extra layer - it's going to be freezing out, and you don't want to know what's coming Saturday. See you later tonight."_

"Silly Tai," she said aloud.

Then she sat up and turned to look at Mimi's wedding dress on the dress form. Even after falling asleep, she knew that all she needed to do was to sew the rest of the lace over the straps and make finishing touches before finally finishing off the dress.

Feeling confident about that, she pulled up the weather screen on her phone to check what Tai was talking about. This evening already showed the cold enough temperature low of 50 F. Right as she clicked on Saturday, her eyes widened at the evening forecast. The temperature was expected to reach below 30 F with a windchill, no less, and there was going to be a seventy percent chance of-

Sora clicked out of the screen and closed her phone. That kind of weather in October was unheard of - normally she was safe from it, with mostly clear skies and sometimes rain, at least until January. With a groan, she got out of bed and immediately put on a sweater, and stared at her closet to see which tops and sweaters she should layer with today to survive.

* * *

With the final snip of a thread, Sora took a step back from the dress in awe. She couldn't contain her excitement.

"It's done…" she said under her breath, then raised it to a shout. "It's done! Tai, come look!"

"Wow…" she heard Tai say as he entered her room to see. "It looks incredible, Sora. It looks exactly as you sketched it."

"Really?" Sora beamed as she watched him as she whirled the dress around for him. "Do you think Mimi will like it?"

"Are you kidding, Sora? She's going to love it. You did great."

She couldn't stop smiling and her heart couldn't stop fluttering at the Tai's warm smile. She flew into his arms in her excitement, and relief that the hardest job as maid of honor was finally done.

"I'm so proud of you," Tai said as he held her warmly.

"Thanks, Tai," she said with a smile, her lids lowering to a close. She leaned closer against his warmth and soft flannel sweater, and then, her lids felt too heavy to open. The exhaustion of the week finally took over.

"Sora? Hey... " Sora felt light nudging, but she didn't move. "Maybe you should go to bed."

"Hmm…"

"But, maybe not in your room. Your sewing stuff is all over your bed and the floor. It's a wonder I got you up here yesterday."

"Fine…"

Sora wondered if her voice got softer and softer, but his definitely was. If he let her, she would have fallen asleep on him, then and there.

"Living room or mine, Sora?"

She wasn't sure if her lips moved to smile, but she definitely pictured herself doing so.

"What… kind of question is that…"

"Guess I didn't have to ask. I'll get the fireplace going, too."

That was when she felt her feet swing off the floor, and she knew Tai carried her with one arm supporting her back, and the other under her legs. She felt each step as he carried her down the stairs, but she found herself imagining herself in a white dress, being whisked away by Tai who wore a dark suit and bowtie as he carried her down the steps from the chapel. She felt Tai kiss her forehead then, and she wondered why Mimi wasn't wearing white, and why she and Izzy were clapping with a few others on the sides of the path.

She looked at Tai with a smile, unsure of what was happening, but with the joy of his warm smile in return and the happiness of their friends surrounding them, she felt that she knew it was something she wanted.

* * *

The last hurdle for Sora was to satisfy the bride with her dress. Bira-sensei let Sora work the opening shift on Saturday morning so that she could leave by the afternoon to show Mimi the dress, but Sora couldn't help but feel nervous walking into work.

Bira-sensei drew Sora's phone away from her with her hand the moment she saw a picture of the finished product.

"Holy moly, Sora!" Bira-sensei exclaimed with astonishment. "You could give CocoLily a run for her money with this!"

"Oh Bira-sensei…" said Sora, though she felt her cheeks blush.

"You've got talent, doll. It's a damn shame that Haru, Inc. let you go the way they did."

"Wait," Sora quirked her brow toward her. She had only revealed that she worked at the company, but never explained why she left. "How did you find that out?"

"News spreads around the fashion world like wildfire. Especially since the Haru's sales are starting to dip, and they've been losing a lot of employees left and right. Rumor has it that they're talking about launching a special collection next autumn, but they've been going back and forth after letting you go."

"Huh."

Sora wasn't sure how to react with this news. Not that she cared to follow the happenings of that company, but it surprised her that it seemed to be in chaos since she walked out.

"Don't worry, Sora," Bira-sensei said, placing her hand on Sora's shoulder. "Consider where you stand now. Haru, Inc might have been a slight 'fall from grace' but I see you doing just fine. I mean, look at you, making an absolutely gorgeous wedding dress. The bride is going to melt down from its beauty."

"Bira-sensei…" Sora blushed again, this time, with a giggle.

It was a busy work day, but it went by quickly for Sora. Before she knew it, she was back at Tai's house, and Mimi was already there, jumping off the couch, where she was sitting next to Tai, and nearly toppling Sora to the ground as she hugged her.

"I'm guessing you haven't seen the dress yet?" Sora asked when they pulled apart.

"I kept telling her that I could go with her," Tai added, but Mimi frowned.

"I told you, not without Sora!" she said, her voice raised, appearing on the verge of tears. Tai looked startled, but Sora shot him a look before taking Mimi's hand to lead her to her bedroom. She let Mimi step into the room first, where Mimi gasped the moment she saw the dress.

Sora held her breath, not knowing whether that gasp was good or bad.

"Did you really do all of this, Sora?" Mimi asked, sounding breathless.

"I did, Mimi," Sora replied. Mimi whirled the dress around slowly, and silently. The silence only let Sora's anxiety grow.

"What do you think, Mimi?" Sora asked cautiously.

"I'm going to try it on…"

"I'll be out here, okay, Mimi? Just call me."

Sora closed the door and saw that Tai was waiting in the hallway with her. She held her hand up to her forehead, anticipating Mimi's answer. Tai didn't seem to know what to do except rub her back in comfort.

"Sora?" Mimi called then, and Sora ran to the door, opening it slightly in case she wasn't fully dressed. But when she peered in, she saw that Mimi had already put the dress on, and she was staring at herself, straightening the dress to fit her form. Then, she saw Mimi lift her hand up to wipe underneath her eyes.

Mimi was crying.

"Oh, no, Mimi…" Sora ran to her, feeling her heart sink. There had to have been a misstep somewhere. Sora grabbed a box of tissues for Mimi to grab. "Did I screw this up? I'm so sorry…"

"No, Sora," Mimi whimpered. "It's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen…"

"Really?" Sora took Mimi's hand and they squeezed tightly.

"It's even better than I imagined. I didn't think a CocoLily dress could ever look any better, and it fits me perfectly."

Sora's eyes began to water. It was rare to see Mimi cry this way, and it was a sign that she was crying tears of joy. "I'm so glad. Here, turn around."

Mimi did a slow turn, and Sora observed the dress on her. It fit Mimi like a glove; the sleeveless straps sat on her shoulders lining perfectly with the v-neck in the front, as well as the slight curve that smoothly connected the open back from both sides to the center of her waist. The placement of the flowery lace and beads gave Mimi an ethereal look, and made her glisten with every movement.

Sora looked at her best friend, looking absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress, quickly coming to terms that Mimi would soon be walking down the aisle to marry the love of her life.

Her tears wouldn't stop streaming.

"Stop crying, Meems," she said, wiping Mimi's tears with a tissue, but her own tears not stopping. "You're going to ruin your dress."

"Look who's talking!" Mimi cried, but they both laughed at this as they held each other's hands.

"I'm so glad I have waterproof makeup," Mimi said.

"Thank goodness for that."

"Aww, Mimi," they heard Tai say then. "You look beautiful."

Mimi smiled through her tears. "Thanks to Sora."

Sora left her room again with Tai so that Mimi could change back into her clothes. They decided to leave the dress hanging in Sora's room until the wedding, so that Izzy wouldn't see it unintentionally. When Mimi appeared in the hallway with them, she was grinning.

"I hope you didn't have plans tonight," Mimi said. "I just made a reservation at  _Saku_  to celebrate!"

Sora gaped at her in surprise. "Mimi, you didn't have to."

"Sora's favorite restaurant?" Tai asked, smiling too. "Good call, Meems."

"I know it's going to be just Matt and Izzy, but it would still be nice to see spend time with you guys, too, especially since I cancelled dinner this month."

Sora blushed. "But you hate doing things last minute."

"Oh, stop it, Sora. You just  _saved_ my wedding dress! And you're my best friend. Plus, when have you ever denied going to  _Saku_?"

"Never," Tai answered for her, nudging her side. "Come on - you know Mimi will never take 'no' for an answer."

Sora couldn't help but smile. "Alright, then."

* * *

Matt and Izzy were already at the restaurant when Sora, Mimi, and Tai arrived. Mimi exchanged hugs with everyone, and shared a kiss with Izzy. Tai greeted Matt with their handshake while Sora gave Izzy a hug.

"All good?" Matt asked when he gave Sora a hug.

"All good," Sora replied with a smile.

"Ciders for the ladies," said Tai over everyone as they all sat in the booth. Then, he turned to Sora. "I'm paying. You don't mind, right?"

Sora pressed her lips together while she thought about it. "Why not?"

Everyone talked amongst themselves while they got orders in with their waiter. As the food orders and drinks arrived, Tai was still talking about his trip to Osaka the week before.

"You know what was really weird?" Tai said. "I bought some takoyaki from a vendor on the street, and noticed I had way more cash than I usually carry."

"Really?" Sora asked as Tai turned to her. "You use your card more often, anyway, right? Maybe you just forgot about the cash in your wallet."

"Hmm." Tai took a couple bites of his noodles while he pondered, but Sora noticed that Matt gave her a knowing stare, as though she had something to do with it.

And she did. On the day Tai left for Osaka, she had snuck some bills into his wallet while he was still asleep before she left for work. It was in part a 'thank you' to him for letting her live with him, and in part for paying him back, but she didn't want to tell him just yet. Instead, she shot Matt a glare, knowing that he took the hint not to out her at the table.

"Anyway," Tai continued. "I know Matt has to get ready for my next trip since he has to come along with me to Osaka next time."

Everyone else laughed, having already heard the baseball story, but it was Matt's turn to glare. "Hell no," he said.

"Hey, Osaka can't be as exciting as Paris though," Mimi said. "Sora might be going there for a couple of days. I can't believe it!"

Everyone, including Tai, turned to Sora.

"Paris, huh?" Tai asked, nudging her side again.

"It really is not that big of a deal," Sora said, waving her hand and giggling in embarrassment.

"Oh it totally is!" Mimi said.

"Playing a gig in Paris would be cool one day," Matt added. "Think I could hitch a ride in your luggage?"

"I'll fight you for that spot, Matt," said Mimi. "We're already going to Sydney for our honeymoon."

"Hey, at least you're going somewhere!"

When the waiter came around with the third round of drinks, Mimi raised her glass as she sat on Izzy's lap. "To Sora, my lifesaver!"

Glasses of beers, ciders, and Izzy's Coke were raised at the center of the table. "To Sora!" they all chorused, followed by clinking of glasses.

Sora felt a peck on her cheek then, and looked to Tai, who gave her a warm smile. He had snuck her a kiss, something he hadn't done in a long time. It warmed her heart, and then her cheeks again, especially when she turned to see their other three friends smiling oddly at them.

"What?" Sora asked, even though she knew what they were all thinking.

"This feels like the university days, doesn't it?" asked Matt.

"It does," Mimi said cheerfully, resting her head on Izzy's shoulder.

"I wholeheartedly agree," said Izzy. "I'm just now waiting for one of you to get extremely drunk." Sora knew that he referred to both her and Tai, but Mimi and Matt and even Tai turned to look at Sora after Izzy's statement.

"Hey, leave me alone." Sora grimaced with her blush never calming down. She took a sip of her third glass of cider, but the first two were already going to her head. Finding no other words to counter argue with, she leaned against Tai and hid her blushing face against his chest. He laughed along with everyone else, but his arm tightened around her waist and she felt his lips kiss the top of her hair.

* * *

"Aaah, feel that, Sora?" Tai said when they both parted ways from the others at the restaurant.

"Shut up," she said, feeling the chill blast against her face. The forecast she had been denying to believe was failing her. She had taken in a total of five pints of cider before they left, but even that, as well as her beanie, scarf, and three layers weren't enough to keep her warm.

"Man, it's freezing out. I'm surprised it hasn't snowed yet."

"Don't... jinx... it..."

Tai laughed at her shivering, and he moved to wrap himself around her. "Don't worry, I called a cab. I'll tell the driver to turn the heater on full blast."

The cab was already warm and toasty when they entered the back seat. Sora smiled as she felt the warmth of Tai's hand over hers as he massaged it back and forth.

"Hey, Tai," she said, feeling a sudden surge of bravery from the alcohol. "You didn't think that wedding dress was mine, did you?"

"What?" Tai said, looking startled at first. "No, of course not."

"Good." Sora noticed him turn to look out the window on his side, but she felt the need to talk more about it. "It's more of Mimi's style anyway, don't you think? It must have been a real surprise seeing me of all people in a dress like that."

"It was definitely a surprise, but not in a bad way, Sora." Tai looked at her and smiled. "I thought you looked amazing."

Her heart skipped a beat, taking those words in. What all did she have to worry about, anyway? She was with Tai, someone who loved her and whom she loved back. She looked to him and smiled, and he smiled back, leaning forward to nuzzle his nose against hers.

"Even your nose is as cold as ice!" Tai said, laughing.

"What else are you going to expect, Tai?!" she replied, but she laughed along with him, until he moved even closer for their lips to touch.

"Maybe that will warm you up?"

"Hmm…" Sora looked at him, as though she was deep in thought. "Maybe just one isn't enough."

"Is that so…?"

She replied with another slow kiss, savoring his lips against hers. She felt herself slowly warming up with each kiss, her heartbeat quickening, her hands reaching for his neck to pull him down over her -

The cab halted to a stop and the driver cleared his throat loudly, causing their last kiss to break.

"We're here," he announced stiffly.

"Oh-" Sora couldn't have gotten any redder in the face than she already had tonight, and Tai looked embarrassed himself. He hastily handed his credit card to the driver, replying with a "Thank you," followed by a "Sorry!"

The cab driver sped off the moment the two exited the cab, and they stood facing each other, breaking into laughter after what just happened.

"We'd better get inside," Tai said when the laughter died down. "Now even I'm feeling the cold going into my jacket."

"You were talking about warming me up...?" Sora couldn't help but ask.

"I haven't forgotten about that." Tai slipped his arm around the back of her jacket, as they walked toward the porch of his house, and Sora could tell by the way he smiled, that he couldn't wait to slip his hands underneath it all.

But as they walked closer to the door, Tai's steps slowed. His smirk disappeared, and Sora realized she had been staring at him the whole time. When she turned to see what he was staring at, even in the frigid temperatures they stood in, she froze.

Someone had been standing at his front door. A person, holding the handle of a large suitcase, back toward them. Sora surveyed a large puffy jacket, form-fitting, and a light beanie covering long, straight, raven black hair.

Sora couldn't move from her spot. She had never seen this woman before, but the horrible sinking feeling in her stomach only grew as the person at the door slowly turn around, revealing her face of her perfect, porcelain skin.

She was stunning.

"Yuki…" Tai said under his breath, and Sora let the chills take over, suddenly realizing that maybe, the forecast was spot on for tonight.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one ended up longer than my last long chapter, but I figured why not, it's been a while! 
> 
> It feels really good to update this. Thanks for waiting. I'm going through some trying times lately, dealing with loss, among other things. I won't dive into it. But you know, writing gives me comfort, so I'm happy I get to write and share. So the best I can say is thank you for reading this, and my other stories, too.


	20. [sort this out]

Sora couldn't believe her eyes. For a moment, she hoped that the cider had simply kicked in full force, all at once, and that there was enough alcohol in her to somehow start hallucinating something out of a nightmare. She turned her head to Tai, whose expression looked frozen in shock, clearly not believing the sight before him, either.

"I wondered why you hadn't responded to any of my messages," Yuki said, her voice calm and sweet, but her eyebrows raised and her expression turned skeptical the moment her eyes moved to Sora. "I guess I can see why."

Yuki stared at Sora, her maple brown eyes soft but piercing, and it made Sora feel uncomfortable. She could only feel her arms tighten around Tai's waist.

"What are you doing here?" Tai asked Yuki.

"Visiting you, of course. I told you this already, but I've been put on a work assignment, so I'll be around. Plus, Kari told me your address."

"Kari-?!"

Sora looked at Tai, catching a glint of shock and anger in his eyes, but no words followed his reaction.

"Let's go inside," he replied instead, and calmly at that. "I'm sure none of us want to be out here right now."

_Anywhere but here, for that matter._

Sora let go of him and followed him to the door. She watched him turn the key into the lock, but could see Yuki still looking at her from the corner of her eyes. She didn't know what to think. Yuki showed up unexpectedly, which put a damper on things, but she also realized that Yuki mentioned that Tai ignored her messages.

And now, as she followed Tai inside, with Yuki behind her, she wondered what he thought at that very moment. They all removed their shoes and jackets by the door, but Sora watched Tai run his hand through his hair, and she looked expectantly at him for some kind of answer. He met her gaze, but he still appeared to be at a loss for words. Sora knew this look. He caught himself in a bind that he didn't handle very well, and now he was trying to figure out a solution as fast as possible.

Trying, and failing.

"So why didn't you answer me, Tai?" Yuki asked. She barely hung her jacket onto the coat stand and she already went straight to the point. Her eyes were now fixed on Tai, giving him that same piercing stare she gave Sora earlier.

"I told you, Yuki… It just wasn't a good time to visit," said Tai.

"And you expected me to just take that answer and accept it? You knew I was going to be in town either way."

Tai looked frustrated then. "I can't believe you went through Kari and even my mom about this. I bet you pushed them into telling you my address!"

"How else was I going to get through to you?"

"This is between you and me, Yuki. You shouldn't have brought them into this." Tai turned away, avoiding Yuki's eyes, but Yuki had been moving around to face him and try to meet his.

"Is it wrong that I just wanted to see you, Tai?"

That was when Tai stopped and finally lifted his head up to meet Yuki's gaze. Sora had been listening and watching with her arms at her sides, trying to wrap her head around what was going on in front of her. The silence was agonizing the longer Tai and Yuki stared into each other's eyes.

A ringtone blared, and the silence broke. Tai perked up and Sora realized it was his phone ringing. Quickly, he pulled his phone out from his pocket.

"Kari…" he said, then answered it and headed toward the kitchen, leaving Yuki and Sora in the living room.

No matter how long it took Sora to try to make sense of what was going on, she knew one thing for sure - that this night couldn't have gotten any worse. Even past the fact that the argument was meant to be between Tai and Yuki, she questioned why she hadn't already excused herself from the room.

"I guess there isn't a need for introduction," Yuki said, looking at her again. Sora turned her head to her and saw her eyes were a little gentler, maybe even apologetic.

"I guess not," Sora replied, crossing her arms, still feeling uncomfortable.

Yuki sighed. "I'll never understand what goes on in that guy's head."

Sora didn't respond, but she couldn't help but agree with Yuki as she turned to see him walk around the kitchen, watching him talk to Kari.

"He means well, I know it," Yuki continued. "But it doesn't always mean that he's thinking straight. No wonder he was the 'Dopey' in our relationship."

Sora turned her head to Yuki in surprise, feeling a sudden sting. That was  _her_ name for him. To hear someone else... to hear  _Yuki_ call him that…

Sora felt the air around her gradually disappearing, as though gasping for air wouldn't help at all. She needed to leave.

"I think I need to call it a night," Sora said.

"You okay?" Yuki asked.

"Sora, where are you going?" Tai asked. His phone was now on his hand which had now fallen to his side.

"My room. We'll talk later."

Sora hurried up the stairs, avoiding either of Tai or Yuki's glances. This was only a bad dream. A nightmare? Sora tried not to think of it getting any worse, but with every step going up, the more her thoughts increased with her panic. She got ready for bed, listening to the sound of shouting voices between Yuki and Tai from where she was upstairs. She wondered why she hadn't sobered up all of a sudden with the heat still getting to her, but she wouldn't have dared to open the window for the freezing cold to come in from outside. Maybe she wasn't thinking straight, but she strongly considered to do it anyway.

As she dressed into her pajama pants and T-shirt, she tried to convince herself that Yuki being here wasn't a big deal. Yuki was Tai's ex-girlfriend. Tai had a few other ex-girlfriends before Sora. She was fine with hearing the pet names they used to call Tai. It was natural in a relationship, among many other things.

No matter what she tried to tell herself, she jumped into her bed, face first, crashing into a pillow, wanting to scream.

_Why the hell is she here?_

A few knocks landed on the other side of her closed door. She wanted what she decided to call this 'nightmare' to end, and knowing full well who was on the other side, she wanted him to leave her alone to allow her to wake up from it.

She also knew better that what she wanted was never going to be the case. When she got up and opened the door, she found Tai standing there, his hard gaze above her meeting her eyes.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

She opened the door wider without a response, and he walked inside. Knowing that Yuki wasn't following, she closed the door and turned to him with her arms crossed on her chest.

"Yuki's staying downstairs tonight," Tai explained. "Apparently, she booked a flight a few days earlier than she needed to, so she won't have a place to stay for a few nights."

"So she's staying here, then?" Sora asked with a grimace.

"Look, Sora, I didn't think it would come to this. I know I probably should've talked to her like you told me to."

Her eyes narrowed. "Clearly. Then maybe she wouldn't have showed up the way she did tonight."

"I know, I messed up."

Tai reached for her arm, wanting to take hold of her hand. Sora turned away.

"You family must like her, since they gladly brought her to you."

"More or less, but that's beside the point right now. I'm sure as hell going to give Kari a talking to, but knowing Yuki, she's good with persuasion. She's aiming to be a lawyer, after all."

With that in mind, Sora started to grow skeptical.

"Are you sure you broke up with her?"

Tai gave her a look of disbelief, now standing face to face with her. "Of course, I did, Sora! I might have given her a pathetic reason, but we're broken up. It's over."

"Not if she's downstairs after flying all the way from Beijing just to see you, Tai!"

"Believe me. It's over, Sora."

"Really?" Sora narrowed her eyes. "Tell me if you loved her."

Tai paused.

"It doesn't matter anymore."

"It matters to me." Sora held her breath as Tai turned away from her, but she refused to back down. "Did you?"

"Why are you bringing this up now?"

"Why are you being so difficult? Now is a hell of a good time as any! Did you love her or not?"

"We shouldn't even be having this conversation!" Tai threw his hands in the air. "It's funny you're forcing me to tell you, when you've been dancing around this about me for months!"

Their voices had been escalating with anger, but Sora froze the moment Tai turned to face her, shouting those stabbing words. His eyes widened in horror realizing what he just said, but the sting was already felt in Sora's tears.

"You asshole…"

"Sora, wait, I-"

"We're getting nowhere right now." Sora wiped the tears with the back of her hand, keeping her distance from Tai who was trying to close it at the same time. "So what if I was afraid to admit my feelings? At least I admit to them now. But I wonder if I did right by telling you."

"You did…"

"And now you won't tell me how you feel about Yuki. I just want this to work out between you and me, but... I don't see that happening."

"Sora, let me talk…"

"Get out, Tai."

It was the only solution she could think of in her state, a mishmash of frustration and hurt. She headed toward the door, wanted nothing more than to push him out of her room and slam the door in front of his face.

"Sora…"

" _Get out of my room, Tai."_

" _Sora!"_  Tai slammed his hand against the wall just above her shoulder, and Sora realized her back was against it. She looked up at him, startled at where she ended up and how he got her there. His eyes showed his anger, but behind that, she could tell he was worried.

"Sora…" he repeated, this time more quietly. "...I loved her."

She slumped her shoulders at his response. "That's all you had to tell me."

"But I knew it wasn't going to make things any better." Tai curled his index finger to brush the fresh tears streaming down her cheek. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too."

They stood together in silence to calm each other down. Tai offered his long sleeve to wipe the rest of Sora's tears. As soon as he swept her last tear, he leaned forward to press his lips on her cheek where the tear just left.

"You know I love you, Sora," he said, his chocolate brown eyes lighting up as held his head back to meet her eyes once again.

"I know," she replied in a soft exhale. "I love you too, Tai."

Tai leaned forward again, this time for his lips to kiss hers, with his hands cupping her face. She kissed back as he moved his lips slowly against hers. She had been waiting for this to happen, even before their interruption. She could barely move otherwise, feeling paralyzed by the tips of his fingers caressing underneath her hair, only letting out a soft moan as he deepened each kiss.

His lips parted from hers, only to trail down. She exhaled with a smile, feeling the tingles of his warm breath and his soft lips on her neck. For a moment, she had forgotten the pitfall of the evening and couldn't wait for him to warm her up even more. She felt his hand slip underneath her shirt and onto her chest, fondling her there for a good while before he moved his hand down. She wished he kept it there, and she could tell Tai knew it, as he laughed under his breath while his lips were on her ear.

"Tell me when to stop," he whispered teasingly into her ear, the deep sound of his voice sending shivers up her spine.

"Don't you dare," was all she could utter, the wall on her back supporting her to fall against as she brought his lips back to her mouth. Her hands ran wildly through his hair, their kisses deeper and more captivating as she took in the taste of his tongue. She felt his body pressing closer against hers, his hand still on her stomach and reaching down her panties.

It was then when she heard a voice whisper his name, but it wasn't her own. It was Yuki's, and she pictured Tai doing things with her that Sora didn't want to see.

_Stop thinking about this, Sora._

Tai and Yuki were in a relationship. It was only natural for them to do this.

_He's not with Yuki. He's with you. He loves you._

The image burned into her mind the more she tried to shake it out. She couldn't bear it.

Sora took Tai's hands into her own to stop him. She opened her eyes, her heart still racing, and feeling his heartbeat in sync with hers. He opened his eyes, then, looking at her with concern.

"I can't do this right now," she said, staring back at him. "Not while she's here."

His face fell, but Sora sensed that he got the message.

"I'll talk to her tomorrow," he said. "I'll ask her why she's here. I'll... sort this out."

He rested his forehead against hers, then, after one more glance between them, Tai left her room.

Sora closed the door, and stared at her bed. She heard the sound of the heater being turned on, but she knew that that wasn't going to be enough for tonight.

The past few weeks had already been a whirlwind, but that night alone was enough to overwhelm her. What she would give to fall asleep by the fireplace without Yuki already on the couch.

She wanted to run to Tai and be held in his arms to comfort her, and for him to tell her that everything was going to be fine. But when she turned to the door to reach the handle, she stopped herself. Even Tai didn't seem to be sure of the truth in those words.

Sighing, she moved her hand to the light switch and flipped it closed, then crawled underneath her three blankets. With those along with the heater, she figured it would suffice for her to weather the snowstorm that blew in, at least through the night.

* * *

"Sora?"

Sora stood at the front door of Mimi and Izzy's house on Sunday as the day headed towards noon. Mimi stood in front of her, wearing her pajamas, and her light brown hair fallen around her face, wavy and free of any kinks. Sora was in awe, although her loss for words was for her own worries. Mimi looked back, tilting her head to the side with confusion.

"What's going on?" Mimi asked. "I don't need anything for the wedding right now. I know we have the nail appointment on Thursday and then the rehearsal dinner on Friday. Did I forget to do something?"

"Well…"

"You look faint, Sora. Aren't you cold?"

Sora felt guilty showing up unannounced at Mimi's door. She didn't call or even text - she just hopped out of the shower, got dressed and got to Mimi a train ride later. She never did anything like this because she hated feeling like she was intruding, but at the same time, her mind was in the most disarray it had ever been.

"Yuki…" Sora said, taking a deep breath. "Yuki's here."

"Yuki?!" Mimi grabbed Sora's arm and pulled her inside. She dragged her to the kitchen bar, holding out one of the bar stools for Sora to sit. Then, she rushed into the kitchen and hurried to grab a bottle of wine with one hand, along with two wine glasses in the other.

"Meems, put that away," Sora said as she waved her hand at Mimi. "I drank enough last night."

"Okay…" Mimi thought for a moment, then snapped her fingers quickly and ran to the fridge. "I did manage to find more blueberries at the market…"

Sora had gone for a jog and showered before heading to Mimi's, so she didn't feel as guilty as she prepared herself to indulge.

"Is there ice cream?"

"You bet! Ah - it's not in here. I'll be back." Mimi turned the oven on to preheat, and then hustled out of the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Sora asked.

"The garage! There're more pies in the fridge there!"

Sora's brows furrowed. "Since when did you get an extra fridge?"

"Last week - I baked way too much, so Izzy surprised me with it!"

Sora caught on, knowing Mimi's mood the past week while Sora fixed her dress. Mimi returned with a chilled blueberry pie above her palm, and she opened the oven door to slide it in.

"I'll be needing it for my bakery soon, anyway," Mimi added. "Oh, and I've got some leftover teriyaki chicken from the other day, too, if you haven't eaten yet."

"Yes, please," Sora replied, then slowly came to another realization. "I didn't even eat breakfast."

"What?!" Mimi stared incredulously. "How did you even make the jog this morning?!"

Sora didn't know how to respond. All she knew was that she left Tai's house avoiding any confrontation and she must have forgotten to eat something along the way. Mimi took out the teriyaki chicken and rice from the fridge, then popped it into the microwave while taking out three plates from the cupboard as well as chopsticks from the drawer. After that, she glided back to the counter, where she took Sora's hand and lifted it closer to her face.

"What are you doing, Mimi?" Sora asked, too distracted by her hunger to comprehend.

"At least you haven't trimmed your nails - thank goodness."

"Of course, I haven't. I'm keeping them this way for you."

"I know how you are, Sora. You don't like them long, especially when you're stressed."

"Don't worry about them, Meems." Sora gently withdrew her hands from Mimi, who looked back at her with a look mixed with suspicion and concern.

"Salutations," Izzy said then, as he appeared next to Mimi, stretching his arms over his head as he yawned.

"Greetings," Sora replied, though half-heartedly, with hunger and weakness now on her mind.

Mimi's phone rang while the food warmed up, and she picked it up and glanced at the screen.

"Hmm, it's Kari," Mimi said, then whirled to Izzy. "Get the food out when it's ready, honey? And keep watch on the oven?"

"No problem," Izzy said with a nod.

"And you," Mimi said, turning to Sora with narrowed eyes. "Eat."

Izzy took Mimi's place when she left the kitchen once again, and he rubbed his eyes as he watched the microwave timer counting down. He appeared to have just woken up a few moments ago, with his short red spiky hair slightly askew.

Yet, he was surprisingly alert, regardless of the morning daze in his stare.

"Everything okay, Sora?" he asked, watching her curiously. "Something must be troubling you."

"Well-" Sora began, however the loud shock in Mimi's voice from the living room interrupted them both.

"YOU GAVE YUKI HIS ADDRESS, KARI?! Are you  _insane?!"_

Izzy shifted his eyes toward Sora. "I presume it has something to do with Mimi's conversation with Kari."

"Your presumption is correct."

The microwave beeped, and Izzy served the food on three plates, quietly handing one to Sora. They were both silent as they ate, while Mimi continued talking in the living room. Sora was grateful for the silence with Izzy. He never asked for detail after detail, and he was often in his own thoughts to be comfortable in the quiet; he was completely opposite of Mimi, who enjoyed filling up the silence with her chatter.

Still, Izzy was perceptive. "You're welcome to stay here, Sora," he told her, just as Sora began to feel her energy return from eating. He must have been thinking about it, anyway.

"I appreciate it, Izzy," Sora replied. The thought had crossed her mind, but she began to think about it more once he mentioned it.

" _Ohh,_  that girl." Mimi sat herself on the bar stool between Izzy and Sora with an exasperated sigh.

"I'm sure Kari meant well, Meems," Izzy said. "Normally she stands her ground, but I'm sure it was something she couldn't control."

"I was talking about Yuki," Mimi clarified with a grumble. "And don't get me started on Tai - this is all his doing!"

"Tell me about it," said Sora.

"She seems like a really sweet girl, but I can't believe how far she'd go just to see him! She's here on 'business'? There's gotta be something else."

"Let's hope not…" Sora added, tinkering at her last few bites with her chopsticks.

Mimi paused then, her eyes widening a little, as though a frightening realization crossed her mind. She turned to Sora.

"How did she look, Sora?" she asked, and Sora didn't want to admit it at first.

"Well… I mean… she looked really pretty."

"Okay, but... did you see anything? Was she 'glowing'? Did you notice her belly…?"

"Mimi, I have to say, these questions are quite absurd when considering that she's meeting someone for the first time," Izzy said.

However, Sora knew exactly what Mimi was trying to ask. Mimi was normally direct when asking, but she must have held back, for Sora's sake.

"Her belly was flat," Sora confirmed. Admittedly, she observed Yuki's figure, on the intrigue of the type of woman Tai dated other than herself. After she had taken her jacket off, Sora could see Yuki, wearing her long sleeved top and jeans, that she was lean and healthy. Her hips and waist and her bust forming a perfectly curved hourglass that Sora inwardly found herself envious of.

But, thinking about it, Tai returned to Tokyo in September, nearly two months ago. How long before then had he broken up with Yuki? Kari didn't have a bump showing until almost three months' time.

Could that really be why…?

Another beep went off, this time it was the oven timer. The pie was ready.

Perfect timing.

"Ready for some pie and ice cream?" Mimi asked knowingly.

"Yes,  _please,"_  said Sora.

Sora ended up devouring the pie with Mimi and Izzy, and even gave in to three glasses of Pinot Noir, which didn't give her the light and fluffy effect she anticipated, but it was still nice to vent to her friends. She decided to go back to Tai's, not knowing what to expect, but she knew it was something she had to face, regardless.

She still had a buzz which was worsening as she pushed the key into the doorknob, and as she opened the door and stumbled in, she froze at the sight in front of her. Tai was sitting on the couch with Yuki, too close for Sora's comfort. Yuki's face was close to his, and her hand was on his cheek. At the same time, Tai jerked his head toward the door, and immediately jumped up from the couch.

"Sora, it's not what it looks like," Tai said, seemingly with a sense of panic in his voice.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Sora blurted out, her sense of judgement lost on her. "That's why you're here."

"Sora, where the hell is that coming from?" Tai asked, stepping forward to her. "Wait, Sora. Aren't you cold - Are you  _drunk?"_

"I need to know. Are you, Yuki?" Sora stared hard at Yuki, her voice quivering. It was when Yuki stood up, standing next to Tai, her eyes narrowing.

"What if I was?"

The silence that followed was excruciating. Tai looked at Yuki in disbelief, the color in his face disappearing. Sora stared at her in anticipation, but she felt her heart already shattering piece by piece.

Was this really it for her and Tai? Was she going to lose him after all?

"I'm not pregnant, Sora," Yuki said finally. She watched Tai anxiously run his hands through his hair as he sat back onto the couch.

"Fucking hell, Yuki," he said, with a heavy sigh of relief.

But Yuki was still here, and Sora couldn't take it any more than she could bear. She rushed through the living room, not caring at all that she never removed her shoes. She ran up the stairs, holding back the stinging tears that were fighting to come out.

Tai was right behind her.

"Sora, wait. What are you doing?" he asked. Her eyesight blurred on her, but she knew what she was looking for. When she brought out the duffel bag and set it on top of her bed, she figured she didn't have to explain any further.

"Don't do this," he said, following her into the bathroom as she gathered her toiletries and necessities to dump into the bag. "Sora, please…"

Her mind had gone in complete shambles, but she let her body walk away and ignore him, taking them both back into her room where she pulled her clothes from her hangers.

"Sora, don't leave me."

She looked up at him through her foggy vision, whether it be from the wine or the tears, and she could see his expression full of remorse.

"Promise me you'll sort this out," was all Sora said as she zipped up her duffel bag.

"I promise."

Sora put the duffel bag on her shoulder, and headed down the stairs, not daring to even give a menacing look she wanted to give Yuki as she walked out.

She thought of only one place to go from there. At that point, she was too drunk to care whether she looked a mess on the train, and could care less whether he was busy or not, but she knew he would be there for her, no matter what. When she arrived at the apartment complex, she pushed the buttons on the intercom to ring him.

"Hey, it's me," she said shakily through the mic.

"Sora? What's wrong?" his voice replied, immediately sensing her distress.

"I'm coming up."

The front door unlocked, and she walked up the flight of stairs to reach his apartment door. She knocked, and he opened up immediately, his blue eyes showing confusion mixed with concern.

"Sora, you're a mess," he said. "You're shivering."

She dropped her bags where she stood. Without any question, he reached his arms out to embrace her and she flew into them, realizing she wasn't wearing a jacket the whole time.

"I'm cold, Matt," she said weakly as he held her tightly in his arms, finally sobbing into his shirt the tears she couldn't hold any longer. "I'm so cold."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (04/15/19) revised a scene between Mimi and Sora for a later scene to make better sense.  
> (03/04/19) Phew.  
> So, I know I had readers from FFN call out the pregnancy card, so I figured I should clear the air about that.  
> Next chapter, expect some Matt, and, think we need to get into Tai's head again :) A lot of this was meant for this chapter, but you know, these scenes went longer than I expected, you know how that goes!  
> On the note of Matt to clear the air - there will be no Sorato in this fic. None! However, to anyone following me, if you see a fic by me in the near future, and do a double take because you see it has a Sorato pairing, your eyes won't be deceiving you. Just saying. :x  
> Thanks for reading! Thanks for subscribing, and for the kudos, and thanks for the comments! Glad you're all here after 20 chapters, and hope you all stay warm with me along this ride <3


	21. [one and only]

_Tai's phone buzzed, and, for what seemed like the millionth time, he hit the 'reject call' button and tucked the phone away in his back pocket. He let out a sigh as he sat at a bar table with Matt, who suggested it would be good for him to unwind by going to happy hour. Little did they know, it would be the last time Tai would decide to ever step foot in that bar again._

" _Booty call?" Kaze asked when he arrived with two bottles of beer, and a pint of the ale on tap for Matt._

" _It was no one, Kaze," Tai replied irritably. Matt shot him a glance, and Tai figured he knew it wasn't 'no one' though he kept quiet._

" _Chill out,_ Taichi _. Man, you are tense tonight."_

" _It's been one of those weeks." Tai picked up his bottle of beer and took a few swigs, listening to Kaze chat with Matt about his career as a musician. It was the first time that Matt met Kaze, and while he wore his usual blank expression, Tai could tell that Matt didn't like Kaze at all._

" _Hey, Tai, you never told me how it went with that tall chick with the purple hair. Aki, right?"_

Aki _. He hadn't heard that name in a while, but hearing it triggered the simmering anger in him that he felt rise to a boil._

" _She wasn't worth my time in the end," was Tai's tempered reply._

" _That's the sad thing about women in fashion," Kaze said. "They're drop-dead gorgeous, but they're really not all that interesting. They design clothes - so what? Most of them work so hard for a shitty pay, and they don't have enough talent anyway, so why even bother?"_

_Tai raised his brows at Kaze's response._

" _There are some who have too much talent and get shit in return, but they still work hard anyway," said Matt coolly, although he was clearly insulted. "Then, there are others, like someone sitting at this table, who might think highly of himself for making a lot of money, but truly doesn't have any talent at all."_

_Those words were biting, and Kaze's eyes narrowed at Matt, whose expression never changed while he lifted his pint of beer up to his mouth. A smile crept onto Tai's face then, and he felt a glimmer of satisfaction, but he couldn't let go of Kaze's words from bothering him, either._

" _I doubt you've met enough women in fashion to even back up your baseless comments," Tai said in a half-joking manner._

" _Sometimes one is enough to get me talking," Kaze said. "I thought that you especially would have figured out who I was talking about, Tai."_

" _I'm not sure I get you…" Tai's mind was working slowly while it tried connecting the dots. Who did he mean? Wait, it couldn't be-?_

" _I think I see the other guys from work," Kaze said then, after letting out a laugh. He slid his barstool back out behind him before leaving the table with his bottle, and headed towards the lively group at the bar counter. Matt turned his head to Tai, looking at him in disbelief._

" _How do you tolerate that asshole?" Matt asked as he leaned over to Tai so they could hear each other._

" _Right now, I wish I knew," Tai admitted. The more he thought, the more his mind felt fuzzy. "He has a habit of letting his tongue loose the more he drinks."_

" _Maybe that should be your last, before you get to that point, too."_

" _I'm fine, Matt." What number was this beer? His fourth? Fifth? He just_ had _to go with the strongest stout, didn't he? And they seemed to amplify the effects on him more than they normally did._

" _I have to disagree. You aren't in your right mind, and you're probably going to do something really stupid."_

_The beer bottle was still three-quarters full when Tai's mind told him to chug. If he did what his mind told him to, nothing else really mattered, did it?_

_His phone rang again, and he was hopeful when his mind told him to check who it was. Maybe it was Sora who was calling him this time, and she finally wanted to talk-_

" _Goddamnit, Yuki!" Tai groaned, hitting reject again and putting it back in his pocket._

" _How long are you going to avoid her?" he heard Matt say, but his mind played a better idea to head to the bar for another bottle than to answer the question. He needed to wash down the bitter taste from his mouth, and he knew it was still from Kaze's lingering words._

_As he approached the bar, however, Kaze's voice was loud above the crowded room, and Tai stopped in his tracks the moment he heard him mention her name._

' _Women in fashion'... 'not enough talent'... was he talking about Sora?_

_Tai hoped that Kaze would stop talking, but he didn't end there._

" _I've never met a chick so desperate!" Kaze said. "I guess you never know she's a slut until you spend a night with her…"_

_The next thing Tai knew, Kaze stopped talking. Matt shouted at Tai, and gasps surrounded him. Glass shattered around him as his hands clutched the front of Kaze's collar, who he knocked back onto a chair thrown back against a table._

" _What the fuck did you do to her?!" Tai yelled angrily, and Kaze laughed, seemingly surprised at Tai's reaction._

" _Whoa, whoa, Taichi, calm your shit," Kaze said. "It wasn't like she said no… hot damn, was she good, though."_

_Tai threw his fist into Kaze's face, throwing the guy he thought was his friend down to the floor. He was raging now, and his mind blurred in anger like roaring flames._

" _You say one more thing about her…"_

" _Fuck, man!" Kaze struggled to get up, holding his cheek with his hand. "What the hell happened between you two? Did she not give you enough, or was that all she was really good for?"_

_How the hell he became friends with Kaze, Tai couldn't remember at that point. Maybe it was a joke Tai heard him crack in the breakroom about the company that brought him to introduce himself. He was one of the few guys his age that worked there, and the two of them had a few things in common, so he thought they would remain buddies, casually enjoying alcohol at happy hours for weeks to come._

_Tai never thought he'd be beating Kaze senseless in the middle of a bar._

_As much as his flaming mind wanted to keep going, he felt the strength of Matt's arms take hold around his chest and pulled him back and away. His mind refused for him to stop, and urged him to jump forward and swing his arms more, but Matt surprisingly had the upper hand, and his mind finally decided to tell him to listen._

" _What the fuck did I say about doing something stupid?!" Tai heard Matt through his muffled ears. Soon after, Tai was dragged out of the bar, hearing bits and pieces from Matt's scolding words about being chewed out by the bartender and that he was lucky they didn't call the police. Matt's voice, however, was drowned out by the soreness Tai felt on his cheek, the throbbing in his knuckles, and his mind now screaming about one thing: to go home to Sora, the woman Kaze couldn't be more wrong about._

* * *

As soon as he heard Sora slam the front door downstairs, Tai sat onto the edge of Sora's bed. She didn't tell him where she was going, but he could tell how desperately she wanted to leave. He looked around and realized how messy her room still was from the week. Pieces of fabric and parts of her sewing kit were scattered all around, and her faux fur jacket was wrapped over the mannequin.

Her favorite jacket was still here… Was she even wearing one before she left?

This was all his fault. If he hadn't ignored Yuki's phone calls and messages for weeks, Sora wouldn't have stormed off the way she did moments ago.

Then again, he couldn't think of any other reason why he wouldn't have ignored her, anyway.

It all began the night that Sora stayed at Joe's place. He had gone to a bar just a few blocks from his house in hopes to clear his head, especially after the storm of emotions Sora had put him through at the time. How was he supposed to feel when Sora left him confused about how she felt about him? The moment called for drowning himself in a few pints of beer, along with returning glances toward a woman across the bar, even flashing a small smile at her.

It was enough to reject a call from Yuki, that being the first time he did it. He knew that even if he had been sober, he wouldn't have wanted to talk to her, regardless. All she was going to do was demand an answer from him. Yuki… Sora... Why were these women so complicated? Why couldn't it be as simple as talking to an attractive female he'd never met in his life, not unlike the one sitting before him? She laughed so easily at his cheesy jokes, as he watched her slide in her seat closer to him after he brushed against her arm…

For that moment, he thought it was only right to go back to his singledom from his university days, where it was just a matter of making eyes at some pretty girl, exchanging some casual small talk with the smooth curl of his lips, then throwing signals back and forth until one of them finally invited the other back to their place. That night, the woman had been the one to ask him first. He was amazed that his old play-by-play was going so well, that he almost agreed to go home with her.

But then, his phone buzzed. He took it out of his pocket, and saw that it was now a text message from Yuki. His mind changed immediately, and he apologized to the woman and left the bar, averting the simple pleasure of a potential one-night stand. He couldn't throw in more turmoil in his current mess by falling back into his old ways… But, he had known then, it wasn't the fact that Yuki sent him a message. It was the fact that the message wasn't from Sora, who hadn't messaged him at all.

He was glad to see Sora come back home the next morning, but all he wanted was to clear things up with her. It had been the first week of her new job, so he decided to hold back from the topic, and do his best to support her however he could. Doing otherwise would only spark a fresh hell of arguments that would only push her further away, just how it was between them in the past before their breakup - one of many lessons he had learned.

Tai kept rejecting Yuki's calls in the meantime, and got even more irritated when he found out that she was using Kari and even his mom to get to him. What did she want with him, anyway? Their last conversation was about her visiting Tokyo for business, and he told her that it wasn't ideal for him to see her. Knowing her, she wasn't going to stop asking until she heard a convincing response. It was a wishful thought, but he hoped the 'reject call' button would have been convincing enough.

He tried to ignore Yuki while he focused on Sora. At least things began to finally turn around with her, even if it meant getting scolded by her after getting into a fistfight with Kaze. As long as he could finally hold her whenever he wanted to, he could handle that tough love from her. She even finally admitted she still loved him, and he carried that with him on his business trip and back, and then through the week she devoted her heart and soul to fixing Mimi's dress.

Then, Yuki showed up and ruined it all.

"Why the hell did you make her think you were pregnant?" Tai asked suddenly. He stared toward the fabric-littered carpet, but he heard Yuki's footsteps as they walked up the stairs and stopped in front of the bedroom door.

"I didn't think she would take me seriously," Yuki replied, her hands balled at her fists.

"What is it with everyone thinking they know all about her?" Tai raised his voice and threw his hands up in the air, startling Yuki.

"You know, you haven't really told me who she is to you. Are you dating her? Is she your girlfriend? Your lover?"

"She's-"

Tai paused, and he stood up from where he sat. He and Sora never really talked about it, have they? They've had their ups and downs, and their relationship has been all over the place since they first reconnected... All he knew for sure was that they have just been going based off of how they both felt, without actually saying exactly what they were to each other.

"She's more than all of that…" Tai concluded for himself.

"Your fiancé, then?"

"N...No," he said with hesitation.

"So, you wouldn't want to marry her?"

"It's nothing like that – Yuki, don't twist my words like you know everything!"

Tai felt his face heating up. He didn't mean to cut Yuki off, but the idea instilled a sort of fear in him anytime it came up. It was a fear of Sora not feeling the same way.

But hell, if he couldn't admit that she looked incredible in that wedding dress…

"Would you have wanted to marry me?" Yuki asked then. Tai snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Yuki, who had walked toward him to meet him face to face. He observed her pretty face, her attractive physique.

"I might have considered it," Tai replied truthfully, "but I don't think I would have in the end."

"Why not? We love each other, don't we? We made each other happy… we can still go back to that now…"

Yuki placed her palm on his chest, looking down at it before lifting her head up to reveal her maple brown eyes, curious but full of longing.

_This again._

He tried to avoid running into Yuki all morning long, even if it was in his own house. What a fool for him to think the difference between two floors would stop her. Not even a large body of water between two countries made any difference. She was too smart, too cunning. If he was being honest with himself, even if he didn't avoid her and tried to talk her out of coming to see him, would that even have made a difference at all?

"I would have come running to you, no matter what you told me," she said quietly. "I just want you to remember us, and go back to how it was before…"

He had no idea how it happened, but there they were, this close to each other, once again. He could never run from Yuki, no matter how hard he tried. Just like how Sora caught them, sitting on the couch, reminiscing about the good times in Beijing. He remembered how happy he was with her. He remembered the little things that brought her joy, the moments where they kissed and even more…

They truly were good times, and Tai wouldn't deny it. They were why she came here to see him, after all, so that she could be near him, facing him then. Her hand moved up to hold the back of his neck, and her face moved closer to his, close enough for him to feel the softness of her breath escaping her lips...

"I think you need to leave," said Tai, sensing Yuki stopping in her place. "Let me make this clear. I loved you, Yuki. But you need to stop chasing after me. I'm never going to love you back."

Slowly, Yuki withdrew from him, suddenly showing discomfort as she adjusted her jacket.

"I'll get an earlier booking at the hotel, then," she said, her voice still quiet, but Tai could hear a tremble. "I hardly unpacked, so I'll just see myself out."

Tai followed Yuki downstairs, and neither of them said anything as she cleared his guest bathroom of her things and packed them in her suitcase.

"Call me a cab," Yuki said then, and Tai laughed.

"Don't worry, I already did."

When the cab arrived, Tai held the front door for her, and she gave him a look one last time, her eyes sparkling with allure, as though she gave him one last chance to change his mind. Then, she turned around and walked to the cab with her suitcase rolling behind her, and Tai closed the door as soon as he saw the cab drive away.

He shivered just then, feeling the cold seep in from the outside. Grabbing a blanket that he took from Sora's room, he wrapped it around himself, and sat in front of the fireplace, remembering how calming it was to stare into the flames.

_Sora...I hope she's alright._

Tai picked up his phone, hoping to see any phone or message pop up. Even if it didn't make a sound at all that day.

Why was he just sitting there? Sora was still out there, wherever she was, probably worried that Yuki was still in the picture.

She never was. Tai got up from the fireplace and grabbed his wallet and jacket, and even ran upstairs to get Sora's, before rushing out the door.

* * *

Sora's phone did not stop beeping throughout the afternoon. Periodically, the screen lit up with a pop-up notification as a new message chimed in, and in some instances, the screen remained lit with a repetitive buzz and a ringtone playing a few loops before it stopped.

It was what Sora stared at while as it sat on Matt's coffee table. She sat on his couch, covered up in a large, hooded sweater that Matt made her wear, along with two blankets wrapped around herself. She didn't have the energy nor the care to reach her hand over and see what Tai and her friends tried to tell her. Instead, she let out a sniffle, lowering herself further back against the couch and raising the blankets over her eyes.

"Make it stop, Matt," she whined.

Matt had been in his kitchen, sending messages to their friends from his phone, all while getting the kettle to heat on the stove to make tea.

"I'm doing my best," Matt said. "But then again, everyone wants to hear that you're okay from you, not from me as the messenger."

Sora sneezed.

"Oy, you better not get sick," he added. "You better not get me sick, either. The wedding is in a week. Not only will Mimi call the wedding off, she will rip her dress apart." Matt sat by her side moments later, holding a mug of piping hot tea in each of his hands, as well as a sheet of tissue for her. "I'm amazed that no one thought to hand you a jacket throughout all of this."

"It was my fault for roaming around in just a long sleeve top," said Sora, taking the mug and tissue. She tasted green tea mixed with the spice of ginger, along with the tart and sweetness of lemon and honey. "Mmm, the Musician's Blend," Sora added.

"I hope you don't mind the extra ginger. Today's the only day the band has a day off before the wedding."

A guitar melody sounded, and Sora watched Matt take his phone from his pocket to look at the screen.

"Speak of the devil," he said as he held up the screen to Sora. Tai was calling. "Do you want to answer it?"

Sora grimaced. "It's your phone he's calling, not mine."

"Like he hasn't tried calling yours already."

She glared at Matt until he finally gave in and pushed the button, and brought the phone to his ear. He stood up and walked away from the couch, and Sora took another sip of her tea, listening to him tell Tai that she was fine.

She wanted Matt to hurry up and end the call. She couldn't get the last image out of her head, of running into Yuki and Tai on the couch as though she was interrupting a moment - a moment she never realized she wanted between Tai and her alone. And for him to say he 'loved' Yuki as though it was in the past… That wasn't what she saw…

"I'm buzzing you in," Matt said then, and Sora snapped out of her thoughts. Was he still talking to Tai, and -  _Was he here?_ Sora's eyes widened in horror as Matt pushed the button on the wall and ended the call on his phone.

She wanted to strangle him.

"Are you out of your mind?" she asked him.

"I've been in the middle of your feuds long enough, Sora, so I know how this goes," Matt said. "You're too stubborn to let him talk, and he's too stubborn to listen. Let the idiot talk."

A knock fell on the front door, and Matt opened it to let Tai in. He was wearing his hooded sweater, and he looked like he was catching his breath. His hair messy and windblown, but Sora didn't remember it being windy outside, only chilly and breezy.

Did he run to get here?

"I'm going out for a walk," Matt said, and said nothing more before he left the two of them alone in his apartment. Tai approached the couch but Sora immediately turned herself away, sitting with her back facing him.

"Sora," he said, feeling him take a seat on the couch cushion behind her. He fell silent as though he waited for her to turn to look at him, but she didn't budge.

"Listen," he continued. "I know you're pissed off with me, and I understand why. I could've handled Yuki a lot better than I did, and I didn't mean to put you through this, or hurt you in any way. And I know I did, and I hate myself for it."

Sora didn't respond, but she leaned against the back cushion of the couch, waiting for him to say more.

"I sent Yuki away. Just after you left. She still had feelings for me and I… well, I told her I didn't love her anymore…"

Sora turned to face him, wanting the truth glistening in his chocolate brown eyes.

"I don't know how else to convince you, and I'm not here to ask you to come back with me, Sora, I don't expect you to right now. I'm sure Matt's okay with you being here, even though he looked pretty annoyed at the both of us before he walked out…"

"It's his sign of affection…" Sora said, with a smile forming on her lips. Tai laughed then.

"I guess that's true. I'm just glad you're okay, and I'm sorry, Sora. Really, I am."

"I'm sorry for worrying you." Sora reached her hand to take his. "I just… think I should stay here a while." Sora could see the sadness in his eyes then, and she felt his hand squeeze hers back.

"Take all the time you need. I trust you. You're smart, beautiful, and I'm never going to think anything less about you, no matter what."

Sora looked at Tai with confusion, wondering what would have brought him to say those words. Then, he stood up, but not before handing her faux fur jacket, which she realized he had been holding in his arms the whole time. As he walked toward the door and away from her, her heart tightened in her chest a little more. Just as he put his hand on the doorknob, he stopped, as though he started to think about something.

"Yuki asked me what you were to me," he said, and he laughed to himself. "I felt like an idiot when I didn't know how to answer that."

"Well… We never really established it, did we?" Sora thought aloud, feeling embarrassed herself.

"I thought about it before coming here, and when it popped into my head, I couldn't see anything else making more sense."

"Then, what am I to you, Tai?"

Tai turned from the door and smiled.

"You're my one and only, Sora."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of Tai as well as Matt, the trusty bestie. I guess 'chasing' is a common theme in my romance fics, huh? Next chapter: actual TK (I promise!) more Matt and some of the friends. I still have a scene with Tai's POV planned, too.
> 
> Thanks for your patience in my updates. It's been hectic in the life of Noct so I haven't had as much time updating as I used to, and as I want. I'm extremely grateful you are still here reading this fic, and I hope you stay on the Colors train. Please, do keep me company! Chat with me about your thoughts on it through a comment - Twitter works, too. :)
> 
> Happy first day of Spring!  
> Stay cozy <3


	22. [miles ahead]

 

On the Monday during the week of Mimi and Izzy's wedding, Tai's boss asked him to take a trip to Osaka yet again.

He had been talking about this wedding ever since he started working in the Tokyo office back in September. "I'm really excited to be back in town, especially since two of my best friends are getting married on the first of November." "Say the word, Boss, and I'll do it - just make sure everyone knows I won't be available at the end of October." "Make sure you mark the calendar that I'll be out of the office the day before the wedding."

Tai swiveled in his desk chair, massaging his hand onto his forehead as he listened to his assistant deliver the details of the trip he was obligated to take on Thursday and Friday.

"I know I penciled this in for you like you told me to," his assistant said remorsefully. "But Sakamoto-san really needs you to talk to the executives in Osaka on Friday. They spoke highly of you from the last time you went. Boss said it was urgent."

"It always is."

As much as he didn't want to, Tai gave the okay for his assistant to confirm with the Boss. At least they gave him a few days' notice, as opposed to the day before. He'd have to leave for Osaka on Thursday evening for the meeting on Friday afternoon, then head back that same night, and catch some sleep for the wedding on Saturday evening.

Still, it bummed him out, knowing he would miss the rehearsal dinner on Friday night. It was going to be held at the restaurant where Izzy proposed to Mimi almost a year ago, which he already felt bad about missing out on, too.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Tai," Izzy told him over the phone at home that evening. "You'll be there on our big day, which is of greater importance."

"As long as you're okay with it," Tai said, laying back on his couch. "Tell Mimi that I'm sorry, too."

"...I'll let her know eventually."

After he hung up with Izzy, he held the phone above his face and opened up a message to Sora, wondering how she was doing since they saw each other the day before.

" _I hope you're doing okay. I miss you."_

That was the message he tapped until he decided against it and pressed the backspace button and closed it out. Didn't she say she wanted space from him? Wouldn't sending her these two sentences bother her? What about if it was just the one? Why was he overthinking this?

Taking a deep breath, he opened a new message and typed both sentences. Then, he hit 'Send'. As long as she knew he was thinking of her.

Tai's phone began to ring, and a popup with Matt's name appeared on the screen in front of him.

"Yo, Yamacchi," said Tai.

"Well, Tai," Matt started. "If I didn't know any better, I'd start to wonder if you thought of me as more than a friend."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm doing okay, bud… I hope you know, I do miss you every day…"

"Wha-?" Confusion crawled onto his face, and he threw his phone off of his ear and opened his messages, wondered how Matt had seen what he last sent to Sora.

Except, he somehow sent that message to Matt.

"Dammit!" Tai cursed at himself as he heard Matt snickering.

"Imagine if you sent that to the group text," Matt said.

"Shut up."

Tai's hesitation continued on Tuesday, when he picked up his phone periodically to check his messages, hoping to see one from Sora, but always ended up disappointed.

" _Sorry,"_  he read from Kari, and he knew what it was about. She had been texting him that same message every day since Sunday.

Her other half, Davis, had also sent a message.  _"Can I swing by later tonight? I wanna chat."_

The next one, he glowered as he read, but it was something inevitable, given the week and the time-crunch:

" _Have you decided on your 'plus one', Taichi?"_

It was only natural for Mimi to check on this, especially since the time she first asked and he didn't give her an answer - but she pretty much answered for him to the tune of, "Oh, I'm sure you'll figure it out!"

But, he still had yet to figure it out, and time was running out for him to avoid it any longer. Mimi's message was the only one out of the three that he didn't respond to that day.

And, boy, did he regret it.

Tai had barely taken off his shoes and his coat as he got home that evening when he heard a knock on his door. He didn't expect Davis to show up so early, but that wouldn't have kept Tai from letting him in, anyway.

He opened the door and looked on in surprise as Mimi stood before him, holding a pie-sized box in her arms. She appeared calm, but the tapping of her foot told him otherwise.

"Good evening, Taichi," she said stiffly, and he tried not to wince. It was the second time in a day that she used his full first name, so he was weary of her current mood. It didn't help that Izzy looked cautious and hesitant as he followed Mimi into the living room. "I brought an apple pie for you and Sora. Make sure you don't eat it before she gets home tonight. You're worse than she is with it."

"Uh, Mimi…" Tai began, and Izzy's direct stare was as cautious as ever. "You haven't talked to Sora lately, have you?"

"Well, sure, I have." Mimi set the pie down on the dining table. "She stayed at Matt's for a while because you had the audacity - the  _audacity -_  to let Yuki stay with you, but I'm sure you have that all sorted out, right?"

"Well…" Tai scratched the back of his head, feeling more uncomfortable by the minute. "She's still staying at Matt's."

"... _What?"_

Tai could sense Mimi's wrath growing.

"She said she needed space when I talked to her last, so I left her there, and-"

"You  _left_ her there?"

Suddenly, Tai yelped in pain as Mimi smacked his shoulder continuously.

"You go there  _right now_  and bring her back here!"

"Mimi!" Izzy yelled, although it was in vain.

"I'm not going to force her to come back if she doesn't want to!" said Tai.

"I can't believe you, Yagami Taichi!" Mimi cried. "Still standing here when you can bring back home the woman you love before it's too late!"

Tai yelled back, already irritated. "For goodness sake, Meems, I just got home! I barely had time to think before you and Izzy burst through the doors!"

"Leave me out of this!" shouted Izzy, but Mimi was louder.

"How the hell are you keeping Sora away for this long-?!" Suddenly, Mimi gasped. "Oh, hell no. Is Yuki still here?"

"Of course not!" Tai said, but Mimi didn't believe him.

"Where the hell is that  _bitch?!_ "

Just then, Mimi lunged forward, as though she was ready to burst through every room in Tai's house. Luckily, Izzy grabbed hold of her just in time.

"Honey, you can't just barrel through Tai's place like this!"

There was a loud knock on the door then, and the shouting match between the three of them instantly fell silent. Tai's mind blanked on who else could have been knocking on the door at this hour. Was it a neighbor who was going to chew them out about all of the noise they've been making? Did Sora actually decide to come back? Hell, was it, by unfortunate coincidence, Yuki herself?

"Who is it?" Tai asked with bated breath.

"It's Joe."

The three of them sighed.

"Come on in, Joe."

Joe opened the door and entered, and Tai felt utmost relief to see the embodiment of reason enter his home.

That was, until Joe approached him and greeted him with a smack upside his head.

"Agh! Joe! Not you, too!"

Joe looked at him sternly, with his hands on his hips. "I haven't had a day off since Sunday when my phone blew up with everyone's messages, so I came by hoping you've gotten some sense knocked into you by now! How could you let your ex-girlfriend stay here? Don't you realize the pain you've caused?"

Mimi crossed her arms, nodding aggressively with Joe. With that, Tai's irritation only rose.

"As I've said, Yuki's  _gone!_ I know I screwed up, okay? I've already tried talking to Sora once - What else am I supposed to do? Just call her up and say,  _'Come home, Sora, please?'"_

Everyone fell silent.

"Well, it's a start," Izzy said thoughtfully.

"Hmph…" Mimi said, crossing her arms. "You'd have to say something better than that…"

Another knock rapped on the door, and this time, a blonde head peered in, his blue eyes surveying the room. "Hey."

"Matt." Tai relaxed his shoulders as soon as Matt joined everyone in the living room.

"Just thought I'd stop by while the band was on a break from rehearsal. Didn't expect the whole gang to be here."

"How's Sora?"

"She's okay. Getting by like the rest of us. She's at work right now… Maybe you should check on her, Tai."

Tai reached for his pocket, when Mimi let out a groan.

"You're not taking out your phone fast enough!" she cried.

"Geez, Mimi," said Tai, "I'll send her a message later, alright?"

"Hey, Meems?" Izzy said calmly. "Why don't we go home? We've already given him the pie, and you've been vocal enough."

"Fine…" Then, she pointed a finger at Tai. "So help me, if you aren't each other's' 'plus one' at my wedding-"

" _Mimi."_

Mimi turned to Izzy, who had crossed his arms across his chest, his brow twitching. Tai had never seen Izzy look so serious. He watched dumbfounded as everyone else looked on, just as surprised. Mimi, however, took a step back, her face softened to a frown.

"Y-yes love," said Mimi, quietly heading toward the door without looking at the others.

"Goodnight, everyone," said Izzy, holding his hand up to them all before leaving the house with Mimi.

Joe sighed. "I should go, too." He walked out shortly after, though not before staring Tai down and saying nothing more.

Tai watched Joe leave and close the door behind him, then felt Matt watching him as he stood beside him. Before Tai knew it, he was yelping as Matt smacked the same spot behind his head where Joe had hit him.

"Sora's never this sad unless it has something to do with you," said Matt. "Fix this, Yagami."

Tai began to rub the back of his head watching Matt leave, and he wondered how big a bruise was going to form. He could also already feel the soreness from Mimi's smacks on his shoulder. Why were his friends so feisty about this? He grumbled his way to the kitchen, setting a small pot to boil miso soup for dinner.

There was noise at the door again.  _Great_ \- someone new to hit him for his wrongdoing.

As soon as he opened the door, Tai jumped back and held out his fists in a wide stance. On the other side, Davis looked back, completely puzzled.

"Uhh, hey, Tai," Davis said, causing Tai to relax immediately and ruffle the top of Davis's spiky burgundy hair.

"Come on in, champ," Tai replied, and Davis followed him back to the kitchen, nervously hiding his hands in his jacket pockets. He took a seat at the dining table, and Tai went back to the miso to continue stirring. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Well… I wanted your opinion on something."

"Okay, hit me - I mean, go for it."

"You might want to come here for a sec. It's kinda hard for me to explain in words, so it would probably be best to show it to you."

"...Oh, okay." The soup was just about done, so Tai turned the heat off from the stove and covered the pot. He sat next to Davis at the table. Davis looked a little more anxious the moment Tai stared at him, waiting.

"So... I just got Kari something, and you'll probably know what I'm asking when I show it to you."

Davis finally took his hand out of his pocket and placed it on the table. With it, he held out a small, purple velvet box. Tai took hold of it, staring at it in awe as he opened the box, revealing a diamond ring, tinged slightly pink, the center stylized into an eight-pointed flower.

"Wow, Davis… this is…"

Tai was too stunned to finish his sentence.

"Think she'll like it? She always said white diamonds were too boring. She wanted something with a hint of color in it. Plus, the design is so her - she's just so full of-"

"Light," Tai said with Davis, smiling as he kept his eyes on the ring. He couldn't believe his eyes - his little sister was going to wear this ring soon. This kid in front of him, who challenged his own idiocy at times, was the one who his little sister was in love with, and who she knew for sure that he wanted to be with her forever.

Her 'one and only'...

"I figured you could keep it safe for me," added Davis. "Gotta keep it on the back burner for now, with Mimi and Izzy getting married this weekend and all."

Tai chuckled. "You're miles ahead of me right now, Davis."

"I'll take that as a good thing...?"

Tai closed the box and grasped it in his hand. "I'll keep it safe."

"I'm serious. Don't let Kari see it. I'm lucky I got away with this one. She already knew about the slippers I bought her when I tried to surprise her with them."

"Don't worry, Davis." Tai placed his hand on Davis's shoulder, and repeated his words: "I'll keep it safe. I promise."

* * *

Monday and Tuesday had been strange days for Sora at the  _Birahana Boutique_. As usual, she altered clothes, and tended to the flow of customers in and out of the store. However, Bira-sensei wasn't her usual upbeat self. The most she did was give Sora work, and she kept the small talk to a minimum.

Sora kept quiet, though she could tell Bira-sensei was focused on something. Maybe it was a new project or a new endeavor. But given that it reminded Sora so much of herself, she knew best not to pry until Bira-sensei mentioned it.

On the train rides back to Matt's place after work, she had run into Matt himself at the station. Both times, he looked exhausted as ever.

"Rehearsal?" Sora asked as they hopped on the train together.

"We've been rehearsing pretty much all day today," said Matt, whose voice sounded a little hoarse. "We've got all the songs on Mimi's set list down, I guess it's just been one of those days."

"Will you be able to make it to Saturday?" Sora asked, concerned.

"It's nothing me and the boys can't handle," Matt said with a shrug. "We decided on half-day rehearsals for the rest of the week until the wedding, and then we'll just be hanging out for a week before we go back into the studio the next."

Sora always admired Matt and his passion for music. He had been in and out of bands since middle school, but there was never a day where Sora didn't see him without a guitar. He loved music, so it came as a shock to everyone when he first chose aerospace engineering instead of music as his course of study at university. He studied it for a whole semester and even excelled at it; then, he came to the apartment one day and announced to Tai and Sora that he wasn't feeling the subject, and was going back to music in the end. It was the day they felt that all was right in the world again.

Since then, Matt formed a new band called 'Wolf's Bane' - he had a thing for wolves, for some reason - and have recorded a few EPs under their belt, and now, with an album on the way. Both Sora and Tai were frequent guests at Matt's gigs throughout university, but they became less so after they all graduated, and especially after the breakup.

"I stopped by Tai's place earlier today, by the way," Matt said, looking toward Sora.

"Oh? How is he?" she asked.

"Getting by, Sora. Just like you."

Sora stared at Matt, wondering what he meant by that. Of course, what he said was true. She  _was_ getting by - helping Mimi make last minute checkups with wedding vendors, going to work as she normally did, staying over at Matt's place while she got her head straight. But Sora couldn't look at Matt straight in the eyes then, knowing that he'd seen her stare on her phone for long periods of time, the message box to Tai void of words she didn't know how to say.

"We are planning a gig for two weeks after the wedding," Matt said, after yawning and rubbing his eyes then. "You better show up this time."

"I'll see if I can make it," said Sora with a smile.

"That's what you always say."

As Sora walked with Matt towards his apartment building, she shivered and cursed under her jacket, scarf, and beanie.

"It's only going to get colder, Sora," said Matt.

"Don't remind me," Sora said, grumpily. "I'm turning your heater on right away, first thing. And I definitely want some tea."

"Don't worry about that - I have that going for us already."

"What do you mean?"

Matt turned the key to the complex gate and pushed to let Sora in first. "Now's a good time to tell you that you'll be sharing the couch tonight."

Sora looked back at him in horror as he casually started up the stairs before her. "Well, that piece of information would have been nice to know beforehand."

"I didn't think you'd mind, considering who it was."

Before Sora could protest even more, Matt unlocked and opened his front door. Sora walked inside and stopped as she saw who had already taken a seat on the couch. Sitting cross-legged, in his sweater and jeans, his short, spiky blond hair unkempt, most likely from wearing his fedora, TK lifted his head from the book he was reading and flashed a smile.

"Hey," he said. Sora was relieved to see it was only TK.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," Sora told TK as she took a seat next to him and gave him a hug.

"What does that make me, then?" Matt said with a frown, sitting on Sora's other side.

"You can't deny that I'm the cuter brother," TK said.

"Brat."

Sora turned to Matt and mimicked a pinch on his cheek, and he frowned even more.

"Don't pity me, Sora," Matt grumbled.

"Yeah, don't," added TK, with a smug smile. "It'll only make me feel less cute."

"You're lucky I'm letting you stay here tonight."

"Hey, I turned the heater on for you,  _and_ the kettle, like you told me to - oh, I think I hear it."

TK set his book down and hurried into the kitchen. Sora stood up to help, but TK told her to sit back down and let him take care of it.

"I'm sure he comes here a lot, then?" Sora asked Matt, who had leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes.

"He likes to change his surroundings every so often," he replied. "You know how he is - sometimes he's at the cafe he likes to go to, sometimes he's in the school library, and sometimes on his bunk bed at his dorm. He says it keeps his mind open when he's working."

"The change of environment helps, especially when I write," said TK as he handed a mug to both Sora and Matt. Then, he left and came back with his own mug before sitting back in his spot. Sora got a whiff of the tea from its warm steam - it was the Musician's Blend, this time made by TK. She raised her mug toward her lips, seeing the other boys doing the same, and together they sipped their own mugs, all of them wistfully sighing at the same time shortly after.

"Mmm, the warmth…" said Sora.

"Really does hit the spot," said TK.

"You went all out on the ginger, lil' bro," said Matt. "Proud of you."

Sora then looked down at the book between her and TK. "So, what book are you reading this time?"

"Oh, this?" TK held it up. "I finished all my class reading for the week, so I'm reading this for fun.  _'The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe'."_

She stared at him in awe. "Wow,  _'The Chronicles of Narnia'_?"

"Yeah… weird, right? It does get cold at times… but it's a really great adventure story. I'd love to write an adventure story of this caliber..."

"I think you're pretty much up there already, TK." Sora gave him a nudge, causing TK to blush.

"Nah, Sora, my writing's okay…"

"Don't be so modest! It's wonderful writing, especially with those drafts you sent me a few weeks back - you're only getting better!"

"See, TK?" said Matt. "I'm not the only one telling you how talented you are."

Sora and Matt continued to give praises to TK, who kept bashfully declining them. Sora laid back against the couch, taking in the comfort of soft cushion and the warmth of the tea, giggling at the sudden banter between the two brothers. Eventually, Sora realized it was only her and TK talking, when she felt a light thump on her shoulder, where Matt was suddenly leaning against.

"I think it's time that you go to bed," Sora told him, lightly poking his cheek.

"Yeah, yeah." Matt's voice sounded softer, and his eyes were already closed.

Sora had forgotten Matt's ability to fall asleep anywhere, much like Tai's. There were countless times during university where both he and Tai fell asleep on either side of her on the couch, leaving her unable to move.

"You were always everyone's pillow," TK said with a giggle.

"That's how it ends up, doesn't it?" she told TK, remembering a morning she had woken up from sleeping between Tai and Matt, when she and Tai weren't dating yet. She could tell Matt was already awake by hearing him playing a soft melody on his guitar next to her, but the moment she opened her eyes, she found herself laying against Tai, staring into his sleepy eyes. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen him look at her that way, of if she ever noticed how gentle his brown eyes could look.

It was only when Matt offered a "good morning," when Sora realized her fluttering heart was beating wildly in her chest, and that she might have been wearing the same pink on her cheeks that she saw on Tai's then.

_His 'one and only'..._

"Just talk to him, Sora," said Matt, his eyes still closed, but it was as though he was delving into her mind.

"I… I don't know, Matt. There are times I want to call him, even if I don't know what to say. Sometimes, I feel like I should have slapped him."

Matt laughed. "I think he might have suffered enough from that already."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

"What did you do?" Sora looked to Matt who laid still on her side. "Matt?" she asked, poking his chest.

"Kari told me about her," TK said then, immediately drawing Sora's attention. "Tai didn't blame Kari in the end, but she still felt really guilty about it. Yuki was just trying to get to Tai by any means."

"It sure seemed like it…"

"But, Sora, can you blame her?"

Sora turned to TK, curious at his question. "What do you mean?"

"Love makes people do strange things. Their minds scramble and get all tangled up, and they don't know the difference between left from right, right from wrong, and they either run head first toward it, or run away…"

TK laid back next to her, looking up toward the ceiling with a darker expression.

"Yuki ran head first. I think she wanted to be sure about Tai's feelings for her," TK went on. "Things could have been left open-ended for her in her mind, so, even if she came all this way for him to reject her, that would have at least settled it for her."

As TK's stare remained at the ceiling, Sora looked up with him as well. His words about running away stuck in her mind, knowing it was exactly what she was doing to Tai, exactly what she tended to do whenever something went wrong between them. What did that make her…?

"What would you have done?" Sora asked TK. "Where would you run?"

"Easy. I'd run head first, no matter what. I'm still running, after all..."

"TK…" Sora sat up, coming to the realization of what he had been thinking about all along. "Oh, TK…"

"Don't worry about it, Sora, I'm fine." TK's head was turned the opposite direction, avoiding eyes with her. It only made Sora's heart clench even more.

"TK…"

"Really, Sora!" TK turned to her again, but he wore a smile he looked like he was trying to force. "It's okay. At least Yuki is the least of your worries now, right? I mean, at least she's not pregnant or anything - gah!"

Sora turned in surprise to find Matt leaning across her lap, giving TK a smack on his chest. His annoyance showed in his eyes before grumpily returning to Sora's side and closing his eyes once again.

"Keep your own grudges to yourself, TK," said Matt.

Sora looked over to Matt who returned to his slumped position on her side. She turned to TK, whose sad eyes now had the added look of guilt.

"I meant no offense to you, Sora," he said.

"I know."

"Matt's been scolding me about Kari. I've been meeting up with her for class, but he knows what I'm doing."

"Do  _you_  know what you're doing, TK?"

"...I wish I did."

TK let out a sigh, and Sora looked at him and offered her shoulder. Without question, TK leaned his head on her, and she had no idea what to say to comfort him. She loved seeing Davis and Kari happy together, which gave her all the more heartache knowing that TK saw them, too. At the same time, she was glad that Matt was calling him out on it. Maybe she adored TK too much that she would rather embrace him in his sorrow, like a doting mother to her child, without having the heart to tell him what he truly needed to do.

So, she did just that, letting him nuzzle against her as they sat in their own thoughts in silence. That was, until they heard loud snoring nearby. They glanced at each other as Matt snored again, then burst into giggles.

"I forgot how loud he snored," said Sora.

The laughter showed a smile on TK's face, a true smile, which Sora was glad to see then. When the laughter between them died down, TK closed his eyes, the smile still on his lips.

"I wish it was like when we were kids and we enjoyed each other's company, and that was it," said TK." "No romance… no drama."

"They were much simpler times," Sora said, closing her eyes as well.

"Just pure fun... and laughter…"

"Mm-hmm…" she heard his voice waning, and her eyelids getting heavier.

"And... adventure. The only tension we'd have is when we run into monsters to fight and defend ourselves from…"

Sora opened her eyes. "Now you're getting  _way_  into your own head."

TK laughed to himself. "A writer's gotta live in his stories to write them."

She watched him yawn, and soon she felt his breathing calm. She smiled at his relaxed expression, but the sadness for him couldn't leave her.

_Where should I run?_

Sora dug her phone from her pocket and stared at the blank box under Tai's name. There were a lot of things she wanted to say. She was upset. She wanted to make up with him. She needed this space. She missed him.

" _I hope you're doing okay,"_  was what she ended sending.

Just as she was about to put her phone away, it buzzed with a reply back from him:

" _I am now. :) Goodnight, Sora."_

"Stupid Tai," she muttered to herself with a smile, her heart aflutter. With that, she put her phone away, reached for the blanket from Matt's side of the couch to cover her and the now two snoring brothers, then laid back and closed her eyes to sleep.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You didn't see this cominnnn'  
> So, another Tai POV for ya. And finally the Matt/TK I've been pushing back for a good bit. Hope you liked the 'cold book' reference in this chapter ("The Chronicles of Narnia" by C.S. Lewis) and the bits of Digimon Adventure sprinkled here and there. Anyone else wanna give Tai a smack and TK a hug?
> 
> Next chapter: The One Before the Wedding - events leading up to it. Will Sora finally go back to Tai's? Matt's happy about one thing, Mimi's annoyed about another. Sora's sad, but you probably can figure out why. Regardless, you'll find out soon!
> 
> In the meantime, thanks for reading! Really grateful for you to stick with me 22 chapters later! It means a lot. Much love, and hope you're all doing well.
> 
> 'Til next update........
> 
> Stay cozy <3


	23. [here you are now]

_Left or right?_

After a long, hard evening at the boutique, Sora stood outside of the train station, staring at the large sign on the tiled wall with opposing arrows pointing at the two walkways. Turning right would lead her to a short hallway to the trainride to Tai's house, where she had a place to call her own, and love and warmth she could never deny. Turning left would bring her down the staircase to the train to Matt's apartment, where she had been staying over the past three nights, and where she found friendship and the comfort that she knew she could run to.

With a start, Sora hesitated, noting the chill in the air, but her feet started left.

"Wait," came a familiar voice. She stopped and turned around, surprised to see Tai approaching from the hallway on the right.

"Come home, Sora," he said, stopping in front of her, face-to-face. He lifted his hand to brush against her cheek, his hand being soft and warm to the touch against the chill of the evening.

"I still need time, Tai," she said, watching the twinkle leave his brown eyes, the corners of his lips flattening and turning down. As he let go of her, a gust of wind blew against her, causing her to shiver.

"I get it," he said, although the expression on his face told her otherwise. "You're worried, aren't you?"

"About what?"

The wind calmed, and Tai looked up. "What I said the other day."

"That I was your 'one and only'?"

"Yeah." Tai continued to look up, and held his hand up, palm upward for the first flakes of snow to land on.

"I'm not worried about that," she said. "I trust you when you say it."

"Are you sure?"

Tai wrung the sprinkles of white from his hand away, his gaze now fixed on her, and the snow began to fall heavier as Sora stared back at him.

"I don't think you even trust yourself right now," he continued. "You're still afraid, aren't you?"

Sora looked up to the sky then, feeling the cold sting of each droplet of snow on her face. It felt no different from the cold sting escape her lids and roll down her cheeks. She didn't want to say it, but as she only felt colder, she heard Tai say it for her:

"You're afraid of losing me."

* * *

The smell of coffee enticed Sora to open her eyes.

A dream...It was only a dream.

She sat up from laying on the couch, with her eyelids blinking drowsily, although she felt a large, fluffy blanket wrapped around herself. Thankfully, it was enough to temper the cold air surrounding her. As she looked at the time on her phone, she saw that she had an hour before her alarm sounded off.

"I'm sorry, Sora," said Matt, and she turned her head to the kitchen, where he leaned against the countertop next to the coffee brewer. "I keep waking you up like this."

Matt was dressed for the day in his casual jeans and T-shirt, his hair styled, but he rubbed his fingers to his eyes that showed he wasn't fully awake, either.

"I've told you already, Matt," Sora said with a yawn. "As long as you make some for me, I won't complain." Leaving the comforter cloaked on her, Sora got up and walked to sit on a chair at his dining table. She always welcomed the smell of coffee in the morning, as it promised to give her a push of energy when she needed it, and, not to mention, the warmth she could never get enough of.

That morning, it was also a pleasant distraction from the dream she was glad to wake up from.

As soon as the coffee drip died down and the brewer made a soft hiss, Matt removed the pot and poured the hot liquid into two mugs. Sora watched him add two sugar cubes and just the right amount of creamer to each. Over the years, she found that Matt drank his coffee the same way she did, so she had no trouble counting on him when it came to serving her the perfect cup.

"You sure you don't want to go back to sleep?" Matt asked, holding a mug in each hand as he joined her at the table, handing her one of them.

"I'll be okay, Matt," she replied. "Really."

"Hmm."

Sora avoided his stare as she lifted the edge of the mug on her lips for a slow sip. It was his all-too familiar stare that told her how unconvinced he was. Luckily, she knew he wasn't one to press her for answers in the morning. His stare eventually moved away from her, and together, they silently took in their coffee in peace.

"Did TK leave?" she asked then, after noticing his absence since she woke up.

"He was heading out the door just as I walked out of my room," said Matt. "You two were out like a light when I woke up to move to my bed late last night, and I stopped him this morning before he snuck out."

"Why was he sneaking out?"

"Because he didn't want me to yell at him about you-know-what."

Sora took a sip of her coffee in silent response, but Matt kept going.

"I know you love him as much as I do, Sora, but I'm just trying to stop him from hurting himself even more."

"I know, Matt, I know. I'm looking out for him, too."

"I had no doubt. I'm just worried."

Sora turned to see the concern in Matt's eyes. "I am too, but I think you've done your best, and we should let him be. Let him learn on his own when he's ready, even if it's going to be hard for him."

Matt sighed, appearing resigned. "You're right. I'll try. Thanks, Sora."

As she took a few more sips of her coffee, she noticed Matt staring again from the corner of her eyes, but this time, there was a smile on his lips.

"What is it?" she asked.

"It's times like this that I'm glad you're staying here," he said. "It reminds me of living with you at uni again."

Sora smiled back. "It was fun living with you and Tai."

"I'm just glad it's you staying here and not him. You were the better roommate, anyway."

Hearing that brought her to giggle. "I'm sure Tai would hate to hear that."

Matt raised his brow. "I'm standing by what I said. He knows how impossible he was sometimes."

"He'll be so upset."

"That's the fun part."

Sora laughed with Matt, imagining Tai sitting in a chair across from them after dragging himself out of bed, if Sora didn't drag him out with her already. His upper body would be sprawled on the table top, with his cheek pressed against the surface. Had he been there with them, Sora would slide her mug into his hand, in hopes to give him a jumpstart of energy.

They spent a few moments talking about Tai, including Matt mentioning his business trip that he wasn't too happy about. Sora didn't like hearing about this either, and she remembered what it was like the last time he went on one.

She wished that he was with them now.

A tinkering sound came from the front door. Sora turned her head, curious.

"Did TK forget something?" Sora asked.

"Nah, that's not TK," said Matt, although he continued to casually sip his coffee. Sora looked at him in confusion as she heard the sound of a key inserted into the doorknob, followed by a click.

"If that's not TK, then…"

The doorknob turned, and the door was pushed open. Sora looked on curiously as a young woman appeared at the door frame. She was thin and looked to be their age, her black hair medium length with streaks of dark blue fanned out in layers.

"Oh, hey Sora," the woman said, catching Sora off guard as she closed the door and approached the table. Who was this person? Was Sora supposed to know who she was? Was she someone from university that she had forgotten about? Before Sora could even ask anything else, the girl leaned over Matt, greeting him with a sultry kiss.

Luckily for Sora, her hand loosened her grip on her mug by the time it already set on the table. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened as Matt accepted the kiss and shared a smile with the pretty girl. Sora quickly recovered her composure as the girl took a seat across Matt's lap, with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Have we met?" Sora asked in confusion.

"Ah, that's right! Not yet," said the girl with a grin, nudging Matt. "Yamacchi's been holding out on me."

"Hey… Easy…" Matt showed her a grimace with his arms around her waist as she giggled back.

Sora couldn't help but smile. She liked this girl already.

"Sora, this is Aika," said Matt, and Aika held out her hand to Sora in greeting. "Aika, this is Sora."

"It's about time we met," said Aika. "He's been telling me a lot about you."

Sora shook Aika's hand, although she eyed Matt with skepticism. "And Matt has told me nothing about you."

Matt shrugged. "I guess now is a good time as any."

"Don't worry, Sora," said Aika, resting her head on Matt's shoulder. "Matt and I have been dating for a while now, but we've been keeping it quiet. Even our band mates didn't find out until last week."

"So, you're in a band, too?" Sora asked.

Aika nodded. "We were always bumping into each other at after parties. I even tried to set him up on a date with some other girl at one of them - what a lame idea."

"At least I let her down easy."

"You're too nice to be a rock star."

Aika lifted her head up from Matt's shoulder and met eyes with him. Sora looked on as she took a sip of her coffee. It had been a long time since she had seen Matt with another girl, much less heard him talk about anyone of interest. Looking at him share a smile at Aika then warmed her heart more than the cup she held in her hands.

"We better head to the studio, then," Matt said then, and Aika jumped from his lap. The pair got up and headed for the door. "I might not be here by the time you come back tonight, Sora."

Sora didn't reply. Instead, she put her hand up to wave at Matt, and he smiled warmly and waved back before he and Aika went out the door. Seeing Matt happy left Sora in a good mood, and it made her happy enough to want to pass the message along. After a few taps on her phone, she set it down to take another sip of coffee, but her hand barely reached for the mug handle before her phone began to ring.

"You met her? You actually  _met_ Aika? Is that really her name?" Sora heard from the excited voice in her ear.

"It really is, Mimi," Sora said with a laugh. "Why do you ask that?"

"He's been really secretive about who his 'plus one' for weeks now! I was bugging him about her name for the longest time - I needed it for her name card for the reception, after all! Not to mention, I didn't think he was being serious since the name of his date was named after 'love song'..."

"You have to admit, that is really sweet."

"It was too good to be true! Even Izzy thought so!"

"You guys were overthinking this."

Sora laughed at Mimi's grumbling and ranting, until she posed another question:

"You know what else might be too good to be true?"

"What?"

"The deal with your 'plus one', Sora."

Sora fell silent, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Don't think you can sweep this under the rug, Takenouchi Sora!  _Please_ tell me you've at least talked to Tai? I mean, you're obviously still at Matt's, so you haven't made up with him, yet, have you?"

"Well, no, but-"

"Are you going to make the poor guy do all the work? I mean, I'm still annoyed that he hasn't come back for you already!"

"He's doing his best, I know it. Better than we'd all expect. It's just…"

"What is it?"

From Mimi's curious and concerned tone, Sora wrapped her blanket more tightly around herself, as though the plaguing image from her dream brought the chill into Matt's kitchen.

" _You're still afraid, aren't you?"_

"I'll handle it, Mimi," Sora said quietly.

"Sora…?

"Don't worry about me. I'll take care of it."

"If you say so…" Mimi's voice was full of doubt, but Sora said nothing more. "At least we have the nails appointment tomorrow. That will cheer you up."

"Mimi, that's something that will cheer  _you_ up."

"Well… You'll be hanging out with me, right?"

Sora laughed. "That's right."

If anything, talking to Mimi brought her spirits up throughout the morning. Listening to Mimi vent about the wedding after that kept her distracted from the thoughts about Tai that she wanted to avoid.

Sora went to work later that day in hopes that she would be able to put her worries aside. Little did she know, as she found the front door of the store locked when she arrived, that there would be one more worry added to her list.

A folded piece of paper was taped on the front of the door with  _"Sora"_  handwritten on it. Quirking her brow, she pulled the note open to read:

" _Sorry to head out last minute. Please mind the shop while I'm gone. I'll be back on Monday. Just close the shop early on Thursday before you leave. - Bira"_

Sora had no trouble running the shop alone, even if it was busier than normal that day. She found time to work on the alterations while helping customers at the same time, taking down new appointments and completing the scheduled ones with ease. The worry that entered her mind came from listening to the chatter from the customers about Bira-sensei. It was hard to ignore after hearing snippets of conversation that sounded like "slow sales," and "buyout," and even the phrase, "shutting down."

_Was Bira-sensei closing down the shop?_

Sora joined in the conversation with two women at one point, wondering how much was true, although one of them smiled at her and told her, "You've got nothing to worry about, my dear."

It was all she worried about for the rest of the day, however, even as she closed up shop that evening, bundled up in her jacket and scarf. She walked onto the street with her gloved hands in her jacket pockets, breathing out a sigh that misted through the chilly air before her. She tried to convince herself that those rumors had little to no truth in them. Surely, Bira-sensei would have a grand explanation when she returned next week.

But, if the rumors were true…

Sora shook her head and kept on walking. Worrying about something like the state of Bira-sensei's boutique or the fate of her job would be fruitless, especially when she only had word-of-mouth to go on… and especially since her best friend -  _two_  of her best friends - were getting married in a few days' time. What was the use of being afraid of something that she knew just wasn't true?

She stopped suddenly, realizing she had reached the train station. Stepping any further, she would have walked straight into a wall - the tiled wall that held only a large sign of opposing arrows.

Droplets of white began to float down in front of her. She lifted her hand up, palm toward the sky, reminiscent of an earlier scene…

 _Yes, Sora,_ she thought to herself.  _What was the use...?_

After moments of hesitation, she decided on tonight's direction. She turned and made her way to the tunnel to wait for the train. As she hopped on, she felt her phone buzz and saw a text message pop up:

" _Will you be here tonight?"_

She debated how she should reply, or if she should get off the train and head the other direction. The train doors opened at the stop before her destination, but she ended up watching them close for her to be able to continue her course. Before she placed the phone back into her pocket, she typed out a message to send back:

" _Not tonight."_

Once she left the train and onto the streets, She noticed the light frosting on the pavement in front of her, and cringed at the colder temperature that she couldn't stand the longer she was in it. At least she was almost there.

Before she knew it, she arrived, walking in through the front door by her key, immediately welcomed with the warm air of the heater, and the dancing flames in the fireplace. Knowing Matt, he wouldn't feel too downtrodden that she wasn't staying over at his place for the night - especially if he was on a date.

Sora didn't see who she was looking for anywhere at first, and wondered why on earth he would light the fireplace and then leave the room.

"Tai?" she called out, and only heard silence in response.

After taking off her shoes, jacket, and all of her cold weather garments, she went up the stairs and noticed his bedroom door wide open, the lights on, and even from across the hallway, she saw the scatter of clothes on his bed.  _Figures_.

But what stopped her from walking further to his room was the glow of the light in hers. She approached the door frame at her opened door, seeing her room in a state completely opposite from Tai's, and, most curious of all, the man himself sitting atop her own bed, slouched over as he held her pillow against his chest, his face wearing a worn and pensive expression.

" _Tai,"_  she repeated more soundly, causing him to jump in his spot.

"Ah! Sora!" he said in surprise. The pillow flew out of his hands and he scrambled out of her bed and onto his feet. Sora paused to look at him, skeptically, and then began to walk toward him with a stern look on her face.

"The heater's on," she said.

"Well, it's cold outside, isn't it?" he replied, scratching his head with a shrug on his shoulders.

"You just turned the fireplace on, didn't you? But you weren't even in the living room."

"I was gonna go back downstairs, you know."

"Your room is a mess."

"I've been packing for tomorrow morning."

"But you cleaned mine." Sora stopped a front of him, looking up at him curiously. His brown eyes looked hopeful but uncertain, as though he wasn't sure she was real.

"I...I didn't want you to step on any needles when you came back."

"How did you know I would be back?"

"I didn't… I just missed you."

That was when Sora's lips cracked into a smile. "Stupid Tai," she said, cupping his chin and drawing forward to meet his lips for a kiss. He kissed back with a smile, his lips soft and sweet moving on hers, a feeling she was glad to return to. When they pulled apart, she met his gaze again, which was no longer uncertain, and now full of the light that brought warmth to her heart. She then pulled him close into an embrace and felt his arms wrap snugly around her.

"Welcome home, Sora," he whispered.

After standing with each other for a while, Sora went to wash up from the day as Tai finished his packing. When Sora left the bathroom in her pajamas, she saw that Tai's bedroom door was still left open, though the lights were off. She trekked down the stairs to find the lights dimmed in the living room, the fireplace still burning, and Tai sitting cross-legged in front of it.

"Don't you have to get up early tomorrow?" Sora asked, taking a seat next to him.

"Yeah, but I'm not sleepy," Tai put his arm around her to let her lean against his chest.

"You're going to pay for it in the morning."

"Ehh…" He snuggled closer to her, but she heard annoyance in his voice. "I still can't believe I'm missing the rehearsal dinner."

"You are?" Sora turned her head at that. Matt didn't mention it earlier that day.

"Izzy isn't upset about it, but I hate missing out like I did last year."

"That's right, when he proposed."

Sora couldn't help but feel just as sad as he sounded. She thought back to the joy between Izzy and Mimi, the smiling faces all around her, and the empty chair next to her that was meant for Tai…

"I know what you're going to say, Sora," he said then, with his hand over hers to hold. "At least I'll be back for the wedding, right? That's what Izzy said, too."

"He's right, Tai," she replied, suddenly remembering a thought that made her sadness disappear. "You'll be at the wedding with all of us, and, even better…" She turned her head to make sure she met his eyes. "...you'll be there as my 'plus one'."

Tai paused as he stared at her in surprise, but then, he let out a laugh. "Well, I was never going to say no to that, either way."

"Good," Sora said with a smile, beaming. "I would've sent you back to Beijing if you did."

Tai raised his brow at her. "Oh,  _really?_ That would have been bold of you."

"Mm-hmm."

Tai leaned forward to kiss her again, more slowly and deeper than the last one. As the fireplace crackled softly behind them, Sora moved toward him, turning her body to face him, accepting his lips on hers as she savored his.

As they pulled apart, Tai gave her a soft smile and she smiled back, suddenly feeling her cheeks warm with embarrassment.

"I was afraid of losing you, Tai," she admitted. "I know you said that you and Yuki were over, but it brought back all the missteps in our relationship, including the ones that were my doing… I just couldn't convince myself that you could still feel for me the way you do. That's why I ran away, and that's why I couldn't come back."

"Yet, here you are now." Tai ran his hand through the top of her hair, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You don't have to be afraid. I don't know if there is anything I could say to help you, but you're never going to lose me, I can promise you that."

"You just being you is enough."

It was a different kind of warmth Sora felt as she watched Tai move both of his hands to pick up hers, lifting it until it reached his lips to kiss. It wasn't the warmth on her cheeks with the feeling of embarrassment, but the kind of warmth that stopped the snow in her dream from falling, and that melted away the white on the ground.

Perhaps, there was nothing to be afraid of, after all.

Sora giggled after feeling a slight tickle as Tai studied her hand then. His thumb traced along her digits from the back of her hand, a few moments longer until her questioning thoughts began to enter in her mind. He lifted her fingers, as though curious about their various lengths, the tips of her fingernails, so neat and-

She let out a gasp then. A loud, horrified gasp, as she pulled her hand away from Tai's grasp.

"Sora? What's wrong?" he asked, immediately concerned, and Sora held up both of her open hands, her eyes widened with terror, realizing there still was something for her to be afraid of.

"She's going to kill me," Sora said in fear. " _She's going to kill me!"_

* * *

"You didn't…" Mimi said on Thursday afternoon in front of the nail salon, the growl in her voice making Sora cringe.

"Mimi, I'm so, so sorry," said Sora apologetically. "I don't know what came over me…"

"How could you, Sora?! How could you  _cut your nails?!"_

"I said I was sorry!"

Sora only had herself to blame. She could only think back to the pivotal moment on Monday evening, when she and Matt were both tired from their day. She asked to borrow his nail cutter and he casually obliged, handing it to her as he passed the couch before heading to bed. She squeezed it at the first clip, even as she ignored the nagging feeling in her mind then.

Moments after she realized her mistake on Wednesday, she hid her sobbing face in Tai's chest as he held her in his arms.

"She'll get over it, Sora," he said in his unhelpful attempt to calm her down, "It's going to be okay."

"You  _know_  she's never going to live this down!" Sora cried.

The face of anger on Mimi at that moment of discovery proved Sora's words true. "Hmph!" Mimi said, with her fists balled at her hips. "You're lucky this salon I booked does a great job with artificial nails. I was so convinced you weren't going to let me down. I'm so hurt, Sora!"

"I'm sorry, Mimi! Really, I am…"

"Let's go." Mimi avoided eye contact, but took Sora by the wrist to lead her inside. "We're going to fix this."

"Wait, Meems… You're not going to make me wear the obnoxiously long artificial nails, are you?"

"I thought about that. I am  _livid_  about this, Sora, but you're lucky I love you, and that I think long acrylics are atrocious."

Sora sulked as she followed Mimi inside the salon. The bridesmaids were already in the waiting room, their smiles faltering the moment they saw Mimi's expression.

However, it wasn't as bad as Sora feared. The woman who worked with her was kind and friendly, and she applied the nail tips with gentleness and care. Sora held her hands out in front of her once the woman was done, surveying the tips being not too horribly long, and the color of vanilla with a lavender gradient over the tips.

Mimi looked at Sora's nails alongside hers and the bridesmaids surrounding her, and she let out a whimper.

"They look so beautiful!" she said with a sniffle. "I'm so happy right now!"

Sora could only smile at her best friend's cheer. They all walked out of the nail salon, with Mimi kissing her bridesmaid's cheeks as they parted ways. When Mimi kissed her cheek last, Sora felt that maybe, hopefully, Mimi had forgiven her for her stupidity of forgetfulness.

"See you tomorrow night, Meems?" she asked after they shared a hug.

"Yes, see you, Soralove. Oh, and let me know if I have to re-arrange your seats if you aren't going to have a plus one-"

"Don't worry about that. Tai will arrive with me on Saturday."

With that, Mimi's fleeting look of concern immediately turned into a huge sigh of relief. "Oh, thank  _god_. You two are impossible, you know that?" She pulled Sora in for another kiss on her cheek and a tight squeeze. "I love you. Tell Tai I love him, too."

They walked away in opposite directions, Sora smiling as she walked, at least until she heard Mimi call her name once again.

"I'm still mad at you about the nails, Sora!" Mimi yelled. "No apple pie for two weeks!"

Hearing those words gave Sora a slight sting, but she knew she could deal with it. Even as Tai replied to her text with amusement behind his sympathy, and as Matt replied with profuse apology, Sora knew she could carry on through the coming days before the wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do like Aika-chan. Isn't she cute for Matt? Also threw some *snow* references and metaphors in there, to try to give you insight on Sora's emotions. Next chapter – M. for Marriage! It's the wedding chapter! (bring tissues, maybe?) And for Mmm, mmm, mmm other stuff...
> 
> Thanks for reading! I appreciate your eyes appreciating my words, this far into the story. :D This chapter is big for me because it's just as many chapters as my very first Digimon fic, Chasing the Sun (also Taiora) so I'm proud that I've made it this far with Colors. Thank you again for reading! I love you all! xx


	24. [let me have this]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning. fluff. tissues.
> 
> (music: Tale As Old As Time - String Quartet)

Saturday morning arrived before Sora had time to keep track. The sounds of her phone woke her right up, and she rolled over in bed to view the time on it. While she would have sufficed with another hour of sleep, the text message pop-ups that she knew were related to the wedding were enough to settle on getting up then.

The next sound she heard was a groan next to her, and she felt his weight shifting, followed by his arm snaking over her waist.

"Turn that off, will ya?" Tai muttered. For a moment, Sora was tempted to sink back and let him pull her closer to him. With the blanket over them, the warmth and comfort she felt only from him enticed her to take that extra hour. But, knowing the importance of this day, she managed to gently push his arm aside and turn to see the disgruntled look on his face, his eyes still closed.

"I think we should get up, Tai," she said. "Our best friends are getting married today."

"It's not even noon yet, Sora… We've got a few hours until you have to get to the venue anyway, right? It's not even too far from here."

Sora frowned. "It will take a few hours for you to even get up."

"Cut me some slack. I had a long trip." His face softened then as he slowly opened his eyes. "Besides. It's not my fault that  _someone_  tried to keep me up last night."

Even with his drowsy stare he raised his brows, the corners of his lips twitching. Sora kept her frown, but felt her cheeks warm, the urge to giggle slowly rising.

She couldn't resist kissing his lips the night before. When she got back to Tai's house from the rehearsal dinner, she found him already asleep in his bed. She crawled under the blanket next to him, and he didn't even budge as she nuzzled against him, ran her hand through his hair, and kissed his cheek. It was only when her lips pressed against his that he stirred.

"Mmm... my charming queen," he said with a smile before he kissed her back, and they melted into each others' lips again and again before she finally fell into his embrace into a deep slumber.

"Okay, then," Sora said that morning, smiling as his own lips curled, giving her the same urge to kiss them once again. "Don't sleep in for too long."

"Fine, fine."

She turned around and sat at the edge of the bed facing Tai's closet, staring at the clutter of his wardrobe, some clothes half hanging with the hangers sticking out, other clothes spilled out onto the floor.

"Maybe I should get your outfit ready, too," she said, partly to herself. "If I can even find it in that mess."

Before she lifted herself off the bed, she felt Tai's hand enclose on her wrist.

"I can get it," he said. "Don't worry about me."

"It's not a big deal, Tai. I can find it for you."

Tai wouldn't let go of her wrist even as she got up.

"Tai?" she said as she sat back down, her torso turned to him. "What's the matter?"

"I told you not to worry about it," he said.

She looked back at him, nonplussed as his expression with closed eyes that remained unreadable.

"Is there something you don't want me to see?"

There was a pause. Tai kept his eyes closed still, but then, Sora felt his grip loosen and his face sink lower into his pillow.

" _Taichi,"_ Sora said with a stronger command.

"I made a promise, Sora, and I'll tell you about it later," he said. "Promise me you won't go in there."

Sora sighed.

"Okay. I promise."

Tai let go of her hand, and she put her hand over his to squeeze it before finally leaving the bed to let him continue his slumber. As much as she was eager to dive into the closet to find out what he was hiding, She knew he always kept his promises to heart, and she wasn't about to turn around and break hers, both figuratively and literally. She walked out of his room to go to hers, but still couldn't help but eye his closet with her suspicions as she passed.

Before she started to put things together for the wedding, Sora put on a yellow shirt and blue track pants. She rolled curlers in her hair, then threw her makeup, packs of tissue, and other items into a pouch that she planned to bring to the venue where she would get ready with Mimi and the other bridesmaids. She even threw in a mini sewing kit, just in case they ran into any snags with the wedding dress.

She packed the wedding dress itself as well as her own lavender dress into separate garment bags. By the time she went downstairs for some coffee, she was taken aback by Tai standing in front of the coffee brewer in the kitchen, already pouring coffee into a mug.

"I didn't want you to be mad at me today," he said with a sleepy smile, handing the mug to her.

"Thank you, Taichi-kun," she said, giving him a peck before taking the mug off of his hands. He stayed close, pulling her into an embrace from behind her.

"Anyway," Sora continued, "I was thinking of a quick bite to eat before you have to get dressed. What do you think?"

Tai gave no answer.

"Tai?"

"Hmm...?"

Turning her head, she realized his head was lowered with his chin over her shoulder, and his eyes were closed.

"Tai…?"

"Let me have this," he mumbled.

Sora sighed again. "What am I going to do with you?"

He didn't budge, even as she stared while waiting for an answer. On a normal occasion, Sora would shake him and scold him into staying awake. But, after seeing him at peace as he rested on her, his warmth surrounding her while she stood comfortably in his arms, she couldn't help but smile instead, and let him have his peace with her for his sake, if not for hers, too.

Tai finally opened his eyes, but only after a light nudge from Sora after she drank her mug of coffee down to half. He let her sit as he cooked omurice for the both of them, then they chatted about the rest of their week as they ate.

"I'm thinking about finding another job, to be honest," Tai said when Sora asked about his trip. "They've put me in this so-called 'temporary' position for so long, but I feel like Boss keeps asking me to do things that are already two steps above my pay grade."

"Maybe I should start searching again, too," Sora replied with a frown.

"Really? But it sounded like it was going well over there."

They cleaned up the table, and as they went up the stairs, Sora began to explain the odd occurrences at the boutique. She sat up on Tai's bed against the headboard, careful not lean further back with the curlers that were still in her hair. As she stared at her nails in front of her, still perfectly polished and un-chipped, she ranted about hearing all talk from the customers, and no talk from Bira-sensei herself.

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Sora," Tai said as he dressed into his long-sleeved dress shirt and slacks. Then, he went into the bathroom to style his hair. "I doubt Bira-sensei would tell someone else before telling you. I don't get that impression from hearing you talk about her."

"I don't know," Sora continued to fret. "Rumors have to come from  _somewhere_ , right?"

"I guess so. But hey, if she really does close the shop, I doubt she'd want to let someone like you go. If anything, I bet she'd want to keep you with her for something better."

"That sounds a little far-fetched, Tai."

"Not if I know how a boss thinks. I  _am_ one myself, you know." Shortly after, Tai walked out of the bathroom, appearing before Sora, his hair styled in its tamed mess. He was dressed to the nines, save for the crooked shirt collar. "Proud of me, Sora? Now you don't have to worry about time."

Sora hopped out of bed, smiling as she met his grin to straighten up his collar. "This is the fastest I've seen you do your hair. You look good."

"Not as good as you," Tai said, placing his hands on the sides of her hips.

She raised a brow at him, feeling him draw closer. "I'm not even dressed yet, silly. I'm in a T-shirt and track pants, I have no makeup on, and the curlers in my hair make me look funny."

"That has nothing to do with anything. I can put a whole tub of gel in my hair and you would look ten times better after just getting out of bed."

"Well, now you're just exaggerating."

Sora looked into his eyes, unsure if he was telling the truth or being playful by the smirk on his lips - his lips that she was slowly closing in on with hers-

Just then, Tai looked away, as though a thought crossed his mind abruptly. "One sec..." he said, turning from her and heading back into the bathroom.

It confused her even more, but as she followed him and stopped at the door frame, she watched him unscrew the cover from the tub of hair gel and set it on the counter, and he leaned over the bathroom sink closer to the mirror as he studied his hair with his fingers.

"...Really, Tai?"

Sora had no other choice but to wait for him. More time passed, and she double- and triple-checked everything that she was meant to bring to the venue. She brought the dresses and her items down to the living room before going back upstairs to check on him.

"Tai, we should really get going soon," Sora said, now impatiently checking the time on her phone.

"I'm just about done," he called from the bathroom. Sora scowled, knowing that he'd be in there for longer.

"Hurry up, or Mimi will have our heads."

Thankfully, he slid out of the bathroom just as she said that.

"Like I've never heard you say  _that_ before."

Sora continued to scowl as she fixed his collar again.

"Chill, Sora," he continued. "I'll call us a cab and we can go. We'll make it in time." Then, he leaned forward to give her a kiss, and her frown was taken away as his soft lips pressed against hers. "Sorry about earlier. I had to make sure my hair was on point before I got to kiss you."

"Idiot," said Sora, bursting into laughter as she gave him a light push and started toward the living room.

* * *

Even though Tai wasn't part of the wedding party, Sora was grateful for him to tag along with her and arrive at the venue before the other guests were scheduled to arrive. She still had a few things on her checklist even after she supposed to dress up with the girls, but she was armed and ready to take everything on that day.

"Huh… I guess I don't need to pay with my card for this ride," said Tai during the cab ride to the venue as he peered into his wallet. "Looks like I have enough cash to pay for this ride and for the one back."

"That's a good thing, isn't it?" Sora asked, although in hopes that he wouldn't answer.

"I must have a cash fairy following me around or something, especially since I decided to stop carrying cash."

"I'd guess the same." Sora looked out the window at her side, knowing that he was still staring at her, and she could feel his eyes narrow.

Soon, they arrived at the front of the venue, right in front of the tall brown gates in the center of the white cemented walls of matching height. When Sora got out of the cab after Tai, she held his arm out to drape the garment bags over so that she could adjust his collar again.

"To think, you wear this type of shirt every day," Sora said with a grumble.

"Hey, I can't help being a little antsy about our friends getting married," he retorted.

"Sora," called one of the bridesmaids. Sora turned to see the three ladies of the party, all of them dressed down like her and carrying their own garment bags. "Mimi's been asking for you."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, she's calm right now. She's getting her hair and makeup done in the main suite downstairs. She's just been waiting for you to get here."

Sora turned to Tai. "I guess I'll leave you here," she told him. "Remember what we talked about. When you see Matt-"

"Ask him if he needs anything, I know," he said.

"You know how he is."

"I got it."

Sora gave him a kiss on his cheek before she took the dresses from him and joined the other girls. They followed Sora as she pushed the brown gates open, revealing the large garden where the ceremony was to be held. The rows of chairs neatly lined up on either side of the large aisle before them that lead to the wooden altar with a backdrop of maple and plum trees over a rock fountain with a small stream. The altar itself was already decorated with strings of lights along with flowers of lavender and cream, which complemented the backdrop.

"Mama never disappoints," Sora said as she walked behind the last row of chairs and the other girls following. Despite the chilly weather, there was thankfully no cloud in the sky. Sora went by the courtyard for the cocktail area, waving to her mom and her helpers as she passed through. Then, she got to the side of the building and walked down the steps into the hallway that led to the dressing room suites. She burst through the doors, seeing Mimi sat in front of the vanity getting her makeup done, her hair in a half ponytail and flowing down in curly locks; and the photographer already snapping photos of her.

Mimi gasped in surprise as she turned to the door. "Oh, I'm so happy you're here now, Sora!" she said with a smile and her look of relief. "You ladies go on and get dressed."

"You heard the bride, girls," Sora said. "We've got another suite waiting for us."

Sora shared a soft smile with Mimi before she turned back in her seat, to which Sora saw Mimi's smile still on her face through the mirror's reflection.

Her throat tightened as she felt herself hold back her emotions. She couldn't believe that Mimi would be walking down the aisle in a matter of hours.

"Sora," came another voice as a hand was placed on her shoulder. Sora turned to see Mimi's mom next to her, smiling, although with a glint of tears sparkling at the corner of her eyes. "I know."

They had spoken to each other at the rehearsal dinner the night before, when Mrs. Tachikawa confided to her that it was going to be hard for her to fight back the tears. Sora gave her a reassuring smile that night as she did then.

"We'll get through this, Mrs. Tachikawa," Sora said, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly.

As Sora joined the girls in the other suite, the photographer followed them, and stopped her to introduce herself.

"Sakura Kasumi," she said as held out her hand and Sora shook it. "Mimi's already told me so much about you, so it's great to finally meet you!"

Sora and Mimi had both known about her work, but Sora couldn't help but be amazed at how young she looked - she must have been at least her age.

"Nice to finally meet you, too, Sakura-san," Sora replied, in awe of her long, dark red hair neatly tied up in a sleek ponytail.

"Please, call me Kasumi! I feel old being called that way! Anyway, I'll just be in the background taking pics."

"Feel free, Kasumi."

Sora and the other girls got into their laced lavender dresses, and two more makeup and hair artists joined their suite to apply their makeup, which Sora was grateful to be waterproof. Once everything was applied down to the lip color, Sora felt the hair spray all over her hair as the curlers were finally removed from her hair.

The final touch was the lavender kitten heels to match her lacy dress, to which she frowned as they were brought out to her.

"It's just for the ceremony, right?" said one of the bridesmaids, as though trying to console her.

"Right. Just for the ceremony," Sora told herself as she put them on. She liked them much less than the black pumps Mimi liked to make her wear, but this was yet another exception she was willing to make for Mimi.

"Sora?" Mimi called from the suite next door.

"Coming," she said, treading carefully on the unfamiliar feeling of her shoes, but slowly getting the hang of it as she continued on. When Sora entered the suite, Mimi's back was turned to her, though she was standing in front of a full body mirror, her hair and makeup all done, all topping the wedding dress that graced her figure.

"Wow…" said Kasumi from behind Sora, who turned to see that Kasumi along with the bridesmaids followed her in. Mrs. Tachikawa was off to the side, already dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"How do I look, Sora?" Mimi asked after twirling around to face her. Sora walked over to her, taking both of Mimi's hands as she felt her eyes water a little.

"Like a goddess," said Sora, and Mimi gave a smile, convincing Sora that she knew that herself. "How does it feel on you - still okay?"

"Still perfect, Sora - just like it was when you fixed it."

While Sora did a quick check for any loose threads or uneven lace, she noticed everyone else in the room continued to stare at Mimi in awe.

"You really made that dress your own, Sora," said Kasumi, breathless.

"As expected of my favorite fashion designer!" Mimi said with a giggle. "She learned everything there is to know about fashion from me, you know."

"I'm not going to deny that," said Sora, giggling with her.

Kasumi took a few more photos with Sora and Mimi together, and then with the bridesmaids as they walked over to Mimi, surveying the beauty of Mimi's dress.

"I'll head up and run through everything with the vendors," Sora announced. "Will you be okay here, Mimi?"

"You know me," said Mimi. "I'll scream if anything happens."

When Sora grabbed her pouch left the suite to check in with her mom in the courtyard, she noticed her phone buzzing in it.

"Matt," she said when she answered. "How long have you been trying to reach me?"

"It's okay, Sora, it's only been a few minutes," he said, his tone the complete opposite of his words.

"What's the matter? Is everything okay?"

"Sora… Sora, we-"

Sora heard a pause on the other end.

"Matt?"

"Nevermind. I think we have it under control. I'll see you in a bit."

"You sure?"

"Yeah… All good. Don't tell Mimi."

Things were still running smoothly with Sora's mom in the courtyard when Sora greeted her with a hug and a kiss. She also ran into the reception manager and went through the checklist of their schedule after the ceremony and through the reception. After that, she noticed her mom and her helpers still hanging around. The flower decorations set up were already perfect, but her mom insisted she needed to add some finishing touches.

"Oh, Mom, always the perfectionist," said Sora.

"Like mother, like daughter," she heard then, and turned to make a face, but was met with a smile under his neat blue hair.

"Hey, Joe!" she said, pulling him into an embrace, then giving Mika a hug when she saw her. Sora didn't realize how much time had already passed when she saw guests have been popping up and gathering around the seating area. She walked over - feeling more confident with each heeled step - and said 'hello' to her dad, as well as to Mimi's dad and Izzy's parents. She waved to other family members and friends she recognized from the rehearsal dinner, all who were chatting away happily. Sora felt the cool air brush against her skin, but didn't seem to mind it then.

Passing by the side of the altar, she greeted the string quartet that were warming up their instruments and setting up their stands and sheet music. On that same side at the last row of seating, Sora met eyes with Tai, who sat with Davis, Kari sandwiched between them.

"Davis, don't drink too much tonight, okay?" Sora heard Kari tell him as she approached. "I know how you feel about the open bar."

"Well, then, how am I supposed to have a 'drink or two' for you like you said I should?" Davis asked.

"Don't forget a drink for me, too," added Tai.

Kari smacked Tai's shoulder. "Don't encouraging him."

"You look taller," said Tai to Sora as she sat down beside him.

"Shut up," Sora replied when she tugged at his collar to fix it again.

"At least you're still in a good mood."

"Don't tease her too much, Tai," said Kari. "She's probably been running around trying to make sure everything's going smoothly."

Sora smiled at Kari, who appeared to be in a good mood as well, her dress a pastel yellow. "You look wonderful, Kari."

"I've been feeling great this week. I'm at fourteen weeks now, and Mini Kari's starting to show, but I was really happy to find a dress that fits!"

"I can't even see the bump," said Tai, confused as he looked down at her stomach and placed his hand over her belly. "Will it kick if I touch?"

"Don't be rude, Tai! At least  _ask_ before you touch a pregnant girl's belly!"

"I'm sure it's okay since I'm the uncle!"

"You're so stupid." Kari laughed, leaning against Tai's arm as he kept his palm on her stomach. As Sora parted from them, she watched Tai smile and laugh along with Kari, then he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. It was nice to see them in good spirits, despite Tai being upset with her only a week ago. Sora was used it by now, anyway, seeing the Yagami siblings fighting one day, and then getting along the next.

Some guests were now standing in the courtyard, and Sora's mom finally stopped working and joined her dad by then. Sora heard her name, and when she turned, she was met with TK, as well as Aika's hazel eyes, her dark, blue-streaked hair straightened, and her lips pressed against Sora's cheek.

"Good to see you, Sor," she said. "That's Tai over there, right?"

Aika pointed over to him, where Izzy had now joined, dressed in his black tuxedo.

"That's him, alright," said Sora.

"I just met him. He's such a goof."

Sora laughed, seeing Tai and Izzy stand up together, Tai putting his arm around Izzy with a side embrace. Perhaps it was the air mixed in with the joyful atmosphere, but she couldn't help but say it: "Yeah, he's  _my_ goof."

"I know. He couldn't shut up about you."

"I heard something about a 'goof'," said Matt as he strided over, giving TK a pat on the shoulder and then swinging his arm around Aika's frame. His hair was neatly spiked, looking dashing in his tuxedo, and his calm expression told Sora that he was no longer panicking. "Are we talking about Tai?"

"You seem to know him all too well, buddy," Aika said, raising a brow. "I'm starting to get jealous."

"I know the feeling, Aika," added Sora.

"Hey, now, you ladies have to realize, that he's just not my type," said Matt, his blue eyes falling on Aika's.

"Really?" Aika asked, her hazel eyes bright and curious. "Then, who  _is_ your type, Ishida?"

"It shouldn't be too hard for you to guess." Matt kissed her cheek with a smile.

Sora decided then that she could watch this budding romance between Matt and his new flame all day long, but that was also when she felt another buzz in her pouch.

It was an alarm signalling that it was almost time for the ceremony. The string quartet began to play their set.

"They're probably already lining up," Sora told Matt, who nodded. "We should go."

"I'll see you later," Matt told Aika after a kiss on the lips. Then Matt turned to TK, who had been quiet the whole time. "Take care tonight, TK," he added, to which TK frowned.

Sora, sensing TK's mood then, went over to him for a hug.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I'll be fine," TK said, before joining Aika to head to the seats. Sora watched as TK and Aika passed the side where Davis and Kari sat, taking note that Izzy was gone, but so was Tai.

"By the way," Sora said to Matt as they walked toward the gates. "What got you so freaked out earlier?"

"You're about to find out," he said.

They reached the front of the gates, where the wedding party started to line up. Sora saw Izzy and his mom at the front, but as she surveyed the line further down it was hard not to notice the tamed brown mess of hair sticking out of the lineup behind Joe and his bridesmaid partner.

"How did  _that_ happen?" Sora asked, surprised.

"Kaoru got a horrible stomach bug," Izzy explained, already arm in arm with his mom. "Matt and I paid him a visit, and he was unable to get out of bed without getting ill. I hope Mimi's okay with it..."

Sora gave Izzy a hug, observing the tinge of worry still on his face. "I'm sure Mimi will be fine. It  _is_ Tai, after all."

Matt headed toward the back of the line, and Sora checked on everyone as she walked by, making sure they were all doing okay. She shook the priest's hand in thanks, then checked on the bridesmaids and groomsmen. After sharing a smile with Joe, she faced Tai again, and her smile faded.

"What did I tell you about fidgeting?" she said, straightening his collar for the umpteenth time.

"I can't help it if they threw me in last minute!" was the response Sora couldn't accept.

"Keep an eye on him for me," she told Tai's bridesmaid partner. She got to Matt standing right behind Tai, who she knew was still staring at her.

"At least Matt knows how to behave and keep his suit straight," Sora added loudly.

"Hey!" said Tai, to which Matt and Sora shared a laugh.

Sora then checked on the young flower girl and the boy who was the ring bearer, and by then, the procession began, and Izzy and his mom started toward the gate and turned to walk through to the aisle. That was when Mimi appeared from the opposite corner, arm-in-arm with her father. Sora was speechless as she watched best friend approach in her dress that sparkled and glistened with every step, only accentuating her radiance.

However, Mimi wasn't smiling when Sora approached her. It looked as though the nerves were getting to her, and Sora knew what she had to say.

"It's going to be fine, Meems," she said. "You look amazing."

"I know…" Mimi said, still worried. "But… obviously, Izzy hasn't seen me yet. Do you think he's going to like it?"

" _That's_  what you're worried about? Mimi, he's going to love it."

That was when Mimi smiled. "You think so?"

"I know so."

"Sora… Don't you start."

Sora caught herself and laughed, feeling her eyes watery as she blinked.

"I'll hold it together, Meems," Sora said, wiping the corner of her eye. "I promise."

"I will if you will, Sora."

Then Sora joined Matt in their place in line. Tai had already walked ahead with his partner, but Matt stood quietly and linked his arm with hers, patting her hand in comfort.

"You good?" he asked.

Sora was surprised to hear herself sniffle. "I am," she said.

They walked together, stepping in sync with each other, only for Sora to let her heels give way and stumble on a step just before they reached the gate. Matt threw his other hand out, ready to catch her in case she fell.

"Are you  _sure_ you're good?" Matt asked with a smirk. "We  _are_ walking together, or if you need me to carry you-"

"I'm  _good,"_ she said, holding herself up, walking alongside Matt as they turned to walk the aisle together.

* * *

While concentrated on not tripping in her heels, Sora made her way down the aisle alongside Matt. She kept her gaze in front of her and tried to distract herself listening to the melodies of the stringed instruments on her ears, trying not to feel nervous as she felt all eyes watching her from either side, hearing the soft clicks of Kasumi's camera off to the side. Feeling Matt's elbow linked with hers put her mind at ease, knowing that she wasn't the only one at the center of attention.

As they reached the center of the altar where the priest stood, Sora un-linked arms with Matt, then they parted to their places up the steps on opposite ends, facing the seated guests. Everyone's attention quickly turned to the flower girl who was taking a slow, careful step each time as she threw a fistful of petals all over the aisle. The young ring bearer followed shortly after, seeming to forget his only task of walking down the aisle, and focused on picking up the petals after the flower girl instead.

Sora giggled while she heard the bridesmaids beside her, cooing at the sight. She looked over to the other side of the altar, where Izzy, Matt, and the groomsmen were smiling at the children, although Tai was looking right at her, as though he had been waiting for her to look his way. The moment she stared back, Tai stuck his tongue out with a wink. She scrunched her brows at him, surprised that he would make a face like that where everyone could see.

Then, she realized that nothing stopped Tai from being himself, even in a public setting. She stuck her tongue out back, winking one eye and pressing her lower lid down on the other. Tai burst into giggles, to which Joe noticed and smacked his shoulder next to him. She found it hard not to laugh at that herself.

Before she knew it, she heard the music slow to a pause, then begin again with a familiar fanfare-like intro. All the seated guests rose from their seats and turned around to the gates, where Mimi stood, smiling at everyone who all smiled back in awe, and her father next to her, grinning from ear-to-ear. Then came their graceful walk down the aisle, every guest fallen silent with the music playing as Mimi glided in her dress, shimmering with each step as though the sun set its spotlight on her.

Sora's heart swelled in her chest, holding back her tears as she saw Mimi's mom sobbing happy ones, and her dad's eyes glistening in the sunlight.

"Wow," Sora heard Izzy say under his breath. She watched him look on in amazement, only to smile widely as his eyes were locked with Mimi's the whole time.

As if it was already hard not to cry already, Sora heard sniffles next to her, and turned to see all three bridesmaids in tears. While Mimi's dad handed her off to take Izzy's hand to meet with the priest, Sora pulled sheets of tissue from her pouch for the girls, then took a deep breath as the guests took their seats. She didn't know how long she would last without breaking into her own tears.

She held her ground, listening to the priest speak his words of welcome, leading into his words of wisdom on marriage. Throughout his readings, she handed out more tissues to her bridesmaids as they continued their quiet sniffling, and even heard some sniffles from herself. Her eyes peered over to the groomsmen side, seeing all of them watching and listening to the priest, although she caught Joe lightly brushing his eye underneath his glasses with his finger.

It wasn't until the priest announced the exchanging of vows when Sora's eyes began to water, watching Izzy give Mimi a warm smile while he repeated his vows. Right after Izzy, Mimi recited the same words, her voice cracking as tears of joy finally streamed down her face.

"I'm out of tissues," Sora spoke softly to the bridesmaids as her tears finally broke free. She saw that Mimi stopped caring as well, even giggling as she wept happily exchanging rings with Izzy. "Oh, Meems," Sora added quietly, laughing to herself through her sobs.

There didn't seem to be a dry eye in the garden. Sora glanced at her parents who held each other as they happily looked on. Davis wiped Kari's tears and kissed her cheek before holding her tightly. At the altar, Joe was dabbing his eyes with a tissue, and Tai used the end of his shirt sleeve to dry his eyes.

The rest of the words from the priest's mouth was a blur, until Sora heard the words she had been waiting to hear to seal the deal.

"I do!" Mimi said excitedly.

"I most certainly do," said Izzy in agreement.

The priest pronounced the two man and wife, signalling Izzy to grab Mimi by the waist, catching her by surprise, leaning her forward into a dip as he gave her a deep, passionate kiss.

The string quartet began to play their tune, the guests and the wedding party applauded as the newly wedded couple shared a look with each other, grabbed each others' hands to hold, then ran down the aisle together, leaving everyone confused, but amused at the same time.

"Sora?"

Sora blinked, and suddenly, she was in a dress as white as the flash she saw just then. The string quartet muted, everything else a blur, except for the person standing in front of her. There was no mistaking who it was when she looked up into his deep brown eyes, his hair that he must have spent hours fixing up, and the tuxedo he wore, with his collar straightened up without her needing to fix it. He gave her a smile as bright as the sun, and she smiled back underneath the warm stream of tears. And as he leaned over to kiss her, it carried her to a happiness that she never even dreamed of.

"Sora."

She blinked again, and she realized she was still standing with the bridesmaids, and Matt was at the center, waiting. Looking over to Tai, he looked back at her in confusion, though looked as though he was ready to laugh.

She almost forgot about the reverse procession. Joining Matt at the center of the altar again, they following after the priest, and Sora observed the corners of his eyes were slightly red.

"Oh, Yamacchi," she said with a smile, lightly wiping her hand on his eyes as they walked together.

"I'm good…" he said, but unconvincingly.

"Liar. You aren't, and neither am I."

Matt said nothing and kept looking straight ahead. She knew he didn't want to say it, but he was just as happy as she was with what they had just witnessed. Sora squeezed her grip on his arm in comfort as they walked away from the ceremony and outside of the gates.

The wedding party gathered down by the suites, all of them taking moments to compose themselves before their post-ceremony photo shoot. Sora already sprinted to grab more tissues and made sure that all the bridesmaids got some, then weaved through to offer some to the groomsmen.

"Where's mine?" Tai asked, and Sora whirled around. It was at that moment where she slipped as she turned her heel, although Tai caught her in time. She was caught in his stare, his brown eyes dry but bright.

"You look fine," she told him as she straightened herself back up and he pulled a sheet of tissue from her. "I know I need a bunch - I felt like I cried a river."

Tai took his tissue to gently wipe her cheek. "You didn't even stop for yourself, Sora."

"I gave up. Who was I kidding? Thinking I wouldn't cry at my best friend's wedding. I bet I'm crying mascara now."

"They almost look like tire marks on your face..."

Sora glared at Tai.

"I'm joking-  _joking_ ," he added. " _You_  look fine." He held the tissue in front of her. "See? No black stuff."

Sora breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness for waterproof makeup."

"That has nothing to do with anything." Tai's stare never left her.

"Soraaa!" Kasumi appeared before her and Tai. "Can you get everyone ready for the photo shoot?"

"Will do, Kasumi," said Sora, and Kasumi grinned before walking away. "Tai, we'd better get going."

"Hang on," said Tai, taking hold of her wrist before she turned away. He pulled her back towards him, placing his hands on her cheeks to before he drew her into a deep kiss. She took in a slow breath as she moved her lips with the sweet taste of his. When he pulled away, he looked into her eyes, with the same look she saw in the flash of a dream. She wasn't sure she was ready to think about that dream, but she didn't feel the need to ask why he kissed her then. She knew his answer already.

"I love you," she said, and Tai furrowed his brow slightly.

"I didn't think you'd say it first."

"I just wanted you to hear it."

Tai gave her one more kiss, even deeper than the last. Then, he looked down, straightening his collar as Sora felt her mind and heart float back to Earth, all before they walked back to the courtyard together, their fingers interlaced as they held each others' hands.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone catch the reference to the other _Colors_? :) Feels really good to post an update. Hope this chapter brought you joy. Sorry I've been away for so long. Next chapter is -the reception- expect dra **M** a.
> 
> Also, this fic has officially reached 100K words! You're all a part of something magical for me and I'm happy I get to share it with you.
> 
> Love, hugs, and Taiora kisses. xx


	25. [always]

Upon arriving in the courtyard, Sora was met by Mimi as she threw herself onto her with a hug.

"Can you believe it, Sora?" Mimi asked with excitement. "Who would've thought a crazy girl like me would ever get married?"

"I always knew you had it in you, Meems," Sora replied, squeezing her in return, then giving Izzy a hug just as warmly.

Tai smacked Izzy's back in greeting. "Izzy is the man!" he said. "Look at him, all grown up and getting married!"

"Way more grown up than you are, Tai," said Matt as he joined them, lightly punching Izzy's shoulder at his other side.

"Who's going to doubt that?" Tai asked with a grin.

"I sure won't," said Joe, who appeared behind Sora.

She exchanged a smile with him as he approached the others, then she and Mimi joined the boys, watching Matt and Tai get into light banter, which got Izzy to smile as he observed them. Sora felt the need to throw in a comment in jest for those two, which brought everyone to laugh.

"We all really should get together more often," Joe added, sounding nostalgic.

"We can set something up after the honeymoon!" Mimi said. "We can try to work around your schedule. I miss seeing you around!"

"It truly is wonderful to have you all here, though," said Izzy, smiling warmly. "It wouldn't have been the same if any one of you couldn't show up."

"He's right. The wedding wouldn't have gone as well as it's going right now."

"Let's be honest here," said Tai, his arm around Sora. "You'd only cancel the wedding if this girl couldn't make it."

Sora made a face. "Don't be ridiculous," she said.

"Actually, I could see that happening," said Joe.

"Yeah, me too," said Matt.

"He's right," said Mimi.

"I would agree," said Izzy.

After the photoshoot with the wedding party, everyone except Sora and Matt dispersed to join the guests for the remainder of the open bar cocktail hour. The two headed into the building to the reception hall, where the catering and bar were being set up. The circular tables and chairs were all arranged to Mimi's liking, topped off with neatly designed flower and table decor, placed on either end of the wood laminate dance floor. At the end of the floor, adjacent to the tables, was the long table where Mimi and Izzy would sit. Closer to the other end of the floor was the stage, where Sora met with Matt's bandmates, including Kyo, the lead guitarist who offered to help DJ the reception alongside Matt that evening.

"We've got some songs where I'll be singing, but we'll have a lot of instrumentals," Matt told Sora as he picked up his bass to tune. "I thought you were going to change out of those shoes?"

Sora looked down, realizing then that she still had the heels on.

"I think I've got the hang of these," she said. Then she turned, and, as if on cue, she lost balance but caught herself before falling onto the wood laminate floor.

"You're a trooper," he said, after stifling a chuckle. "I wonder how you'll fare on the dance floor later?"

"Who said I was going to dance?"

Sora ignored his knowing smile, then turned to check with the caterers, ensuring that the food was ready and that there was enough for the reception. Once everything was ready, and Matt got a thumbs up from the rest of his band, he and Sora went to the large entrance doors and opened them together, which alerted the guests to make their way to their tables.

As the guests filed into the room, Sora fell into the wedding party lineup once again for their reception hall entrance. She passed by Aika and TK, both with drinks in hand and laughing at each other as they walked by.

Matt wore an expression that Sora couldn't help but notice.

"You good?" she asked.

"Yeah," he replied, as he watched TK stop by the bar, getting a new bottle of beer handed to him.

"Davis is already on his third drink," Tai mentioned as he lined up in front of them. "I swear, they're like kids in a candy store when it comes to free drinks."

Sora noticed the sound of his speech. "How many have you had already, Tai?" she asked him.

"Two," he replied with a grin when he turned to them.

"The biggest kid of all," Matt muttered under his breath.

Tai frowned. "Yamacchi, you're no fun."

Matt groaned as Tai and his partner walked through the entrance and into the hall.

"It might be weird hearing it from me," said Sora, nudging him. "But, lighten up, Matt. Today's all about joy and happiness. I'm sure you'd probably want to have a drink or two later, after all of this."

The music blared as they started walking down the line, with Joe and his partner making their entrance. "It probably would have been a good idea to have a beer to relax, considering that I'll be on stage later," said Matt. "Maybe another one for the speech, too."

"Speech? What speech?"

"The one that I have to give, being Best Man. The one after the Maid of Honor's - yours."

Sora's shock and horror were drowned out by Kyo's introduction for them as they entered the room. Just when she thought the wedding had been running smoothly on her watch - she had been focusing on dealing with everything else about the wedding, handling her issues with Tai, so writing a speech completely slipped her mind.

Matt and Sora took their seat at the table, where the wedding party and their invited guests sat together. Sora sat between Tai and Matt, who had Aika sit on his other side. Mika sat across the table with Joe, and waved at Sora who smiled back, although, she hid the fact that she was panicking.

"You okay, Sora?" Tai asked, watching her closely.

"Mmm," was her reply - a failed attempt of a positive response.

Kyo announced the entrance of the bride and groom as Mimi and Izzy waltzed in together, both of them flashing big grins before going straight into their first dance as newlyweds. All Sora could think about then, was that she had from that point on and throughout dinner to come up with words to say for her best friends.

"What's gotten into you?" Tai asked again, as though he sensed that something was up.

"It's best not to ask," said Matt, and Sora knew he had an idea what that 'something' was. He took the glass in front of her and slowly slid it toward her. "Water?"

She accepted the glass, lifting it to her mouth and drinking gulps.

" _Ohh,"_  said Tai suddenly. Sora caught him and Matt as they exchanged glances. She didn't hear them talking, but she could tell that Tai got the gist of what was happening. It was beyond Sora as to how they did it, but the two guys beside her had a way of sharing messages without moving their lips. "Not  _again_ , Sora?"

"Don't, Tai," she hissed. "I don't need this right now."

The waiters arrived with salads, starting the countdown to Sora's speech.  _It was just another last-minute plan, right?_  Just like the bachelorette party. It didn't take her very long to plan that. Even when it came to writing speeches for her presentations, she didn't find it too hard to come up with the words she wanted to say.

She just didn't like feeling unprepared in front of a room full of people.

As the main course arrived - a selection of Italian dishes of eggplant parmesan, seafood pesto linguine, and spaghetti with meat sauce - Sora observed her friends at her table as they chatted and ate together. She took a bite of her eggplant, and, for a moment, the taste steered her away from worrying about the speech.

"Mmm, this is  _amazing!"_  Sora said, the savory taste of eggplant and marinara heavenly on her tongue.

"Wait until you try mine," said Tai. She looked over to see him rolling his pesto linguine on his fork, adding a piece of shrimp for her to try. Then, he lifted his fork for Sora to take a bite.

"Oh,  _wow_ ," she said. It tasted just as good, if not better than her meal. "Now, try mine."

Tai scrunched his nose. "You know I don't like eggplant."

Sora frowned at him. "It wouldn't hurt to try, right? I mean, I used to hate apple pie."

"Fair point." He let Sora cut a piece of eggplant, which she fed to him with her fork. Sora waited as he looked away, chewing with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Well?"

"I'll admit..." he said after swallowing the bite. "It tastes a lot better than I remember it. You and Mimi sure have good taste."

He had a point there. Mimi ultimately made the decision, but she always made sure Sora agreed, not only with the catering, but with all the other decisions with the wedding, including the venue and the decorations. She ran through every crazy night out and every fun night in with her. Even during their rough moments, they did things together as best friends did, bringing each other up and looking out for one another.

Sora looked ahead, beyond her table where she saw Izzy and Mimi sat at their table, holding their own forks to each other's mouths as they fed each other at the same time, followed by laughing amongst themselves. She smiled at the sight, knowing then exactly what she had in mind to go into her speech.

During the rest of the dinner, Sora finished off her plate, taking a few more bites from Tai's plate. Tai had been doing the same to Sora, while chatting with Matt and Joe; and, as he sipped on his third beer, he had been throwing in jokes for her and for everyone at the table to laugh at. It was one of those instances where she felt grateful that Tai was there, when he was helping her ease her mind even as he didn't realize it.

Then, as the time finally came for Kyo to hand Sora the microphone, she stood up from her chair and took a deep breath, feeling the nerves through her heart pounding, all eyes on her. She felt an encouraging nudge from Tai, and bright smiles coming from Mimi and Izzy.

"I'll have to begin by talking about how I cannot be any happier than I am for Mimi and Izzy right now," she started. "I'm sure you all probably saw, seeing that we ran out of tissues out there…"

That garnered a few chuckles from the guests, which made her feel a little more relieved.

"I was just as delighted when Mimi first asked me to be her Maid of Honor. I was a little nervous at first, because you all know Mimi - she'll even agree - that she's not that easy to please."

"You're perfect to me, babe!" Mimi called out, and even Sora laughed at that.

She went on to talk about how they met at summer camp in their elementary school days, where Mimi first met Izzy. Then, she transitioned to talking about their friendship growing throughout the years, leading up to their love that bloomed after Izzy finally asked Mimi out during their time at university.

"There is no doubt that Mimi will tell you all the reasons why she chose me as her Maid of Honor, and why I'm her best friend," Sora continued. "For the record, when we first met, we could not be more different from each other, but here I am, getting all dolled up and wearing a dress and heels and not minding it one bit! -Okay, just a little bit, but you know what I mean."

Mimi laughed, and she and Sora shared a look, knowing the oncoming emotions with Sora's next words.

"Mimi loves to talk, and as we planned this wedding together, there was never a time where she didn't say how much she couldn't do this without me. Izzy has said the same thing once or twice. But Mimi's always been there for me, even when I was trying to decide to go down the path of a fashion designer. She always found a way to cheer me up, whether it was finding time to hang out with me, or getting me into apple pie.

"As for Izzy, my soccer buddy since grade school, he's always given me the most logical, level-headed advice, even when I couldn't handle it. When I think about our friendship, and where I am in my life now, I don't know how I'd be able to do it all without the two of them, either."

Sora sniffled then, and she knew it was the right time to wrap up her speech. "Another thing Mimi talked about was about sparks. Sparks between two people, and that she never thought she'd ever find it with someone, until she found that with Izzy. Well, Mimi, Izzy… I'm so happy you two found those sparks with each other. Congratulations to you both."

When Sora sat back down and handed the microphone to Matt through the applause, she was met with bright smiles all around her table. She saw Mika shedding a few tears, and Aika leaned over Matt's seat to tell her how amazing her speech was. Tai pulled her close, and she found herself leaning into him for comfort while they listened to Matt say his words, the anxiety of the speech now rushing through her after the fact.

"Not bad for last minute, huh?" Tai whispered with a grin.

"Tai," she said with a light groan, and he chuckled as he held her tightly and kissed her cheek.

"That was great. Well done, Sora," he said. "You had Mimi crying buckets."

"Seriously, Tai," she repeated, but she laughed along with him. She sat close to him as they listened to Matt talk about Izzy and Mimi in his speech. Sora laughed along the way and even felt a few tears roll down her cheeks, to which Tai held out a few tissues for her to wipe with.

Both Tai and Sora patted Matt's shoulder as he sat back down and watched him breathe a sigh of relief.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Sora asked, and Matt shot her a look.

"I think it's time for a drink," he said.

"Be right back," Tai said then, and got up from his chair while the Kyo announced the Father-Daughter dance. A song played on the speakers as Mimi and her father danced slowly together on the floor. As she watched the two smiling at each other, Sora couldn't help but look over to her parents, both who sat together at a table on the other side of the floor, watching along with everyone else.

"I come bearing gifts," said Tai, returning to the table with a few bottles of beer in his arms, one for each of those in the wedding party, and setting them in front of him.

"Geez, Tai," said Matt. "I know it's open bar, but, really?"

"You better take yours before he changes his mind, Matt" said Sora, taking a bottle for herself.

She took a few sips as Mimi and her dad finished off their dance, and then when it was Izzy and his mom's turn. It moved Sora to get up from her table and meet her parents at theirs. She first said hello to Mimi's parents, and Mrs. Tachikawa got up to give her a tight squeeze. Then, when Sora got to her parents, she hugged them both tightly, and leaned over her dad's shoulder, watching Izzy and his mom dance together.

Soon after, she noticed Matt get up from his spot and carried his drink with him as he headed toward the stage. Sora remembered then that it was Matt's time to shine for the second time that evening.

"We are Wolf's Bane, and we have the pleasure of providing your entertainment for the evening," said Matt in a cool, casual tone, slinging his bass over his shoulder and doing a quick tune-up. He looked over to Kyo, with his lips curling into a smirk. "I think you've heard enough from Kyo tonight. You probably might have heard enough from me, too, but... well… sorry."

"Dork," called Aika from her seat, and Sora bursted into laughter, and watched Tai do the same.

"Now, I know you've been watching the bride and the groom dancing already," Matt went on, pointing to the drummer to cue a fast, bouncy bass drum beat. "But I think it's high time we gave the rest of you a chance to dance." Matt tapped his foot as he began to play a bass line, and Sora could see Matt's stage persona coming into play. He turned his head toward her, his blue eyes lighting up and staring straight at her. "Hey, Maid of Honor - I'm not letting you hide."

Sora stood up from leaning alongside her parents, noticing that a few of the guests around her were clapping along to the beat. Matt gave her a wink from the stage, and she knew it was him taunting her. She would never admit it to anyone - at least, not before she had any drinks in her - that she loved to dance.

She heard light, joyful laughter nearby, and realized that the young ring bearer was out of his seat, clapping and stepping out of sync. With a smile, she knew immediately what to do next. She approached the boy, holding out her hand, and he gave her a wide grin, even with a missing tooth, and reached for her hand to hold.

"There she goes," Matt said, laughing through his words as Sora walked onto the dance floor with the boy. She clapped her hands together with him, swaying her hips from side-to-side. Before she knew it, the lead guitar kicked in, Matt started to sing, and slowly, the other guests trickled onto the floor, dancing along to the band.

Looking over to her table, Sora watched Aika and Tai get rest of the wedding part to stand up and move to the dance floor. Aika took Mika's hand, with Joe following behind, and they all met Sora and her toddler partner in the middle.

"Get it, Sora!" Aika yelled through the loud music, joining her as she danced along. The little boy squealed in delight as Aika and Sora formed a circle around him with everyone else. It amused Sora to see him bounce with joy the more he got attention drawn to him.

Matt's band transitioned to the next few upbeat songs, and Sora danced her way through the floor, greeting everyone, stepping in sync with the beat. She ran into Mimi and Izzy who were greeting the guests still sitting at the tables, and Mimi wouldn't let her walk away without the tightest hug and kiss on her cheek. Sora hugged back warmly.

"Thank you, Sora," Mimi said. "You truly are the best."

Izzy was the next to hug her without finding words to say, but Mimi threw her arms around the both of them, making Sora laugh.

She made her way back to her toddler dancing partner on the floor, who was holding out his hands for her to hold, before she realized where Tai had been all along.

He appeared before her with a grin, bouncing up and down to the music while he carried the curious-eyed flower girl in his arms as he danced.

"No idea how this happened," he said, reducing Sora to a fit of giggles. Then, they shared the same knowing look, and Tai brought the flower girl down to the floor. The ring bearer seemed to catch on, and held his hands out towards the flower girl instead. She hesitated at first, but then took the ring bearer's hands before they began to swing together.

Sora smiled at the sight, then turned to Tai, who held his own hand out toward her. She pressed her finger to her lips, pretending to be deep in thought, but Tai continued to stare, knowing her bluff. She eventually took his hand, and stepped her way towards him.

Dancing close with him brought her back to the days at university. She rarely went clubbing, only going whenever she gave in to Mimi's endless pleading. She usually ended up having a good time during those few occasions, but she remembered having much fonder memories on those bar nights with her friends, somehow finding herself dancing when she had a few to drink, and somehow, dancing with Tai.

Feeling adventurous in her heels, she held Tai's hand loosely as she lifted her heel and twirled toward him, trusting him to catch her. When she stopped at his chest, she looked up at him, both of them laughing.

"Impressive," he said. "You didn't twist anything this time."

"I've learned my lesson," she said with a giggle.

Before she knew it, Matt stopped singing and Kyo struck the final chord of the song, the drummer tapping the cymbals. After the cheers and applause, Matt removed his bass guitar from his shoulder as Kyo began to play a soft melody and the drummer played at a much slower tempo.

"Slowing things down a bit," said Matt through his mic. "This one's for all you lovers out there. Enjoy this slow dance."

Without question, Sora wrapped her hands around Tai's neck, and Tai brought her close with his hands holding her waist.

"This wedding has been amazing, Sora," he said, slowly swaying along to the music. "I'm proud of you."

"Hey, now," said Sora. "It wasn't all my doing."

"Right, but if you think about it... You've been greeting the vendors, the priest, the guests. You've been holding everything together. You even saved Mimi's dress."

"As a Maid of Honor would do."

Tai smiled. "You're amazing, Sora, don't deny it. I wouldn't be surprised if you were the Maid of Honor for your own wedding."

Sora raised her brows. "My own wedding, huh? Care to expand on that, Tai?"

Suddenly, Tai started laughing softly, as though he was hesitant.

"Come on, now," Sora said, watching him sheepishly avoid her gaze. "I'm not letting you backtrack on your words."

They continued to make their slow turn on the floor, and beyond Tai's shoulder, Sora eyed Matt and Aika in each other's arms, both of their eyes closed as they swayed together.

When Tai's bright brown eyes met hers again, his lips curled into a smile, with her heart already in a flutter.

"I will if you will, Sora," he said gently, and he took her hand hanging on his neck, his eyes locked with hers as his lips pressed against the back of her fingers. His eyes fell on her hand then as he held it, and she felt as he brushed his thumb across them. That look of curiosity shone in his eyes, a look Sora had noticed him have once before. She couldn't tell what he was thinking about then, but with her fluttering heart beating in her chest, the sheer guess in her mind of what it might be, gave her a hope she never thought she would ever want.

"I guess I can tell you what's going on in my closet," Tai said then, stopping his thumb but keeping his hand on hers as his eyes lifted back up to meet hers again.

"Other than the usual mess?" Sora asked.

"It's about the promise I made to Davis."

Sora tilted her head, interested. "So, it's about Davis?"

"Uh-huh. It's about… Davis…"

Tai suddenly stood still, even though the song wasn't over. Sora furrowed her brows, observing his attention was no longer on her but over her shoulder. She turned around and realized Tai was watching Davis, who was alone at the bar, although he was standing up, his eyes fiery and his fists clenched at his sides as he began his stomp back towards his table.

His table, as Sora observed, where Kari stood with TK, the look on her face frightened and on the verge of tears.

"Shit…" Tai muttered under his breath. "That kid, of all times…"

Sora turned to Tai, moving her hand to his forearm. She sensed what was about to happen next, but she couldn't ignore the angry tone in Tai's voice.

Her heart already sank before she watched Kari's tears flowing down as she ran towards the door.

"Kari! Wait!" said TK, running after her, and Davis followed closely behind.

"Tai-" Sora said, but he had already turned to follow Davis, and before she knew it, Matt rushed past her.

"Sora- Sora, what's going on?" Mimi asked as she showed up, her voice with a slight tremble. "Why are they running out there?"

Taking a deep breath, Sora turned to Mimi, holding both of her hands. "It'll all be okay, Meems," said Sora. "I'll take care of this."

Aika appeared in front of Sora just as she whirled around to face the door.

"We'd better hurry," said Aika urgently, and together they ran through the doors, avoiding the concerned stares among the other guests.

As Sora and Aika made their way outside to the courtyard, the cold evening air blasting against her. Kari let out a scream, and TK already swung and missed. He was held at Davis' mercy and fist, being held by his collar as Davis prepared to throw a punch.

"Stop!" Sora cried, running toward them, knowing it fell on deaf ears as neither of them budged. It was only before Davis made his thrust when Tai grab him from behind, nearly falling backward as Davis struggled to break free.

"Enough, you two!" Tai yelled, with Matt dealing with TK as he held him back. Sora held her forehead with her hand, seeing the rage that Tai was not afraid to hold back. "Are you guys insane?!"

"Let. Me.  _At him!"_  Davis growled as he threw himself forward, only for Tai's strength to keep him back.

"Don't fucking screw around like this! Do you even realize where the hell we are right now?! Did you have to bring this shit to the wedding?!"

"Did you see what the fuck he did, Tai?!" Davis yelled back, breaking free and throwing his arm to point at TK. "Do you see what he's been trying to do all along?!"

"That doesn't give you the right to throw a punch!"

"Oh yeah, Tai? Try and fucking stop me!"

Tai smacked his hand on Davis' shoulder to stop him from turning, and Matt held his hand out as he stood in front of TK. "I fucking swear, Davis, if you do anything, I'm going to make you pay for it."

"Let go of me, Tai," said Davis in a low, dark tone. "Or else I'll punch him first and then you'll be next."

"You'll wish you never said that-"

" _Taichi."_

Sora had enough. Tai's fist was near Davis's face, but both he and Davis looked up at her as she stood before them, her own fists clenched at her sides and her blood boiling. Aika had run to Kari by then, who was now sobbing quietly in her arms.

"Think about what you've been saying before you decide to wreak more havoc, Tai," she said in her quiet anger. "And you, Davis, TK - remember where the hell we are. This is Mimi and Izzy's happiest day of their lives - do you really want to turn it around over this?"

Davis' shoulders relaxed to a slump, his head lowering. Tai loosened his grip on him, the expression of guilt creeping onto his face. Sora looked over to Matt, silently observing the others, and TK's back facing everyone as he stood behind Matt.

"We all need to cool off right now," said Sora, the heat in her words dying down as she breathed her exhale. "Tai, take Davis to one of the suites downstairs."

"Sora…" said Tai, and Sora avoided his remorseful stare.

"We'll talk later," she said, and she heard Tai's and Davis' footsteps along the dirt and grass fade away.

"Come on, Kari," said Aika then, her arm still around Kari's shoulder. "Let's take a walk, shall we?"

Kari sniffled. "Hang on." She walked over to TK, looking up at him as they stood face to face.

"I'm sorry, TK," she said, placing her hand against his cheek, her tears still flowing. "We'll always have those times, but we can never go back."

Sora's heart tightened as she watched Kari slip her hand from his face. Kari then latched onto Aika's arm then, the two of them walking away. Sora exchanged concerned stares with Matt, who then made an attempt to place his hand on TK's shoulder, only for it to be swatted away.

"Don't even start this, Matt!" TK shouted, dropping to his knees, throwing his fists against the dirt, and Sora realized his current state with the slurs she was hearing for the first time then. "I know what I did! I'm a fucking idiot. I can't believe…"

"TK…" Sora bent down next to him, suddenly feeling guilty. If only she told him to do what was right, instead of giving him her doting comfort. "Only you can decide to stand still, or go where your heart is really telling you to."

"I know, Sora…" TK closed his eyes, his drunken tears spilling onto the ground. "All I did was run from her when we were together, and since we broke up, I've been trying to run back. I can't run head first for her. Not anymore."

His words stung her, as they called to the way she had been in the past - the way she tried not to be any longer. Sora couldn't find any more words to say. She took him in her arms into a cradle, rubbing his back gently.

"I'll call him a taxi," Matt murmured above them.

The taxi arrived soon after, and Sora and Matt helped TK climb in, then watched as it drove away. Matt sighed, squeezing Sora's shoulder.

"He'll be alright," he said.

"I know," Sora replied, knowing that what they both said aloud was in hopes to convince themselves. "You should head back to your band. I'll check on Tai and Davis."

Down in the dressing room suite, Sora found Davis and Kari sitting together, Kari silently weeping and Davis sitting next to her, appearing calmer and more apologetic. The moment she opened the door, Tai stood up from his chair, turning to her and immediately heading towards her.

"Sora, I'm sorry," he said, panicked and guilt-stricken. "I lost my temper. It didn't help that I drank, either. Really, Sora, I'm-"

Sora threw herself into his arms, clutching at the front of his shirt.

"I'd be a fool if I ever ran from you again," she said, her face buried in his shirt, her voice cracking in the midst.

It took a while for Tai to respond, but when he did, Sora felt his arms wrap around her tightly, like a child to his teddy bear.

"If you run, I'll only chase you down," he whispered.

They stood there for a while in their moment of peace as Sora calmed herself down. As soon as she felt ready, the door to the suite burst open once again, and Mimi barged in, Izzy peering from behind it.

"What the hell happened, Sora?!" Mimi asked. "I tried to get Matt's attention when he went back on the stage but he wouldn't tell me anything!"

"Let's just say that TK finally woke up," said Sora, leaning against Tai with his arm slung around her neck.

"Mimi!" Davis called then, running to her, then dropping to the floor with a bow. "I am deeply, truly sorry for nearly wrecking your evening! This was between me and TK, and Kari…"

"Hey, it definitely could've gotten worse if it wasn't for Sora," said Tai. "I nearly lost it myself."

"Did you, now?"

Sora watched Mimi's eyes narrow into a glare at Tai with her increasingly seething expression.

"Don't worry, Meems," said Sora, smacking Tai's shoulder, then stepping forward to face Mimi. "I set these boys straight. "Everything's alright now."

"You sure, Sora?" Mimi asked, her face back to its worried state.

"Positive," she replied with a smile, before Mimi smiled back and they shared a hug between them.

"Mimi's a tiger when she's furious," mumbled Davis to Tai. "But compared to Sora, she's a kitten."

"I'll say," said Tai, though he and Davis both shut right up the moment Mimi and Sora glared at the two.

* * *

 

After the cutting of the cake, the tossing of the bouquet and garter, and the final dances, it was time to end the night, and for Izzy to whisk Mimi away as they climbed into a limousine before it drove off into the night. Sora bade farewell to the guests, then hung back at the reception hall to help clean up. As she checked the tables for any possible leftover items, she ran into the red ponytailed Kasumi, who was in the process of closing down her camera.

"Sora, before I leave," she began, quickly digging through her pockets. "I know someone in fashion that would totally love your style. What you did to that dress was absolutely  _stunning!_  Here-" she held out a pen and the back of a card. "Write down your number and I'll be in touch."

Sora wrote it down, handing the paper and pen back to Kasumi, who grinned before walking away.

"Never thought your heart could be stolen by another woman," said Tai, passing by with a large plastic bag as he helped with cleanup, to which she rolled her eyes and continued making her run through the venue.

As soon as they finished the cleanup, including Matt and his band clearing the stage, they all met outside at the front, where a large van pulled up and the band began to load their equipment on.

"After-party tonight, guys?" Matt asked, with Aika leaning against his chest.

"Are you kidding?" Tai asked back.

Matt glowered. "Of course, I am. I'm  _exhausted_."

"Spoken like a true Best Man. Awesome job tonight, Yamacchi," Tai said, patting him on the back. Matt appeared too tired to reply. Tai then turned to Sora. "Shall we head home, Sora?"

"To your place, Tai," she said, feeling the weight of exhaustion falling on her, but the warmth of Tai's blazer over her shoulders.

As they climbed into their taxi, she rested her head against Tai's chest. The pain from her shoes gnawed at her feet, but felt cozy enough as she lay in his arms.

She noticed a buzz in her pouch then. When she took out her phone, she saw the popup for a new message from TK:

" _I'm home. Thanks for everything, Sora."_

The moment she entered Tai's house, the first thing she did was slip off her shoes and throw them against the floor.

"I was so sure you would run to turn on the heater first," said Tai, taking his own shoes off.

"I was debating on it," she said, smiling at him as he headed toward the thermostat himself. She walked barefoot toward the fireplace, the carpet soothing her feet with each step. As soon as she ignited the fire over the logs, she moved back and sat crouched on her knees, emotions mixed as she ran the whole day in her head, but finding comfort in the flames licking the burning wood.

She felt Tai gently place his hands on either side of her arms as he sat beside her, the warmth of his lips touching the crook of her neck.

_He's amazing._

"You know, you're amazing, right?" he asked.

"So I've been told," she said, turning to him to meet his eyes. "You're just as incredible."

"Me? Nah…"

"Your collar's been straight ever since the end of the ceremony," Sora said then, glancing at his neck in her slight surprise. Tai laughed.

"That was all thanks to you."

Tai had been massaging her arms slowly, running them up and down as they sat in front of the fireplace. She sensed what he was up to, feeling warm from his touch but chills tingling on the back of her neck.

"Your feet must be killing you…" he said, and without question, she stretched out her legs, placing her feet in front of him. He held her foot in his hands, adding pressure with his thumbs at her soles.

"Mmm…" she said, his touch giving her relief and an impulse for something more the longer he worked his fingers.

He gave her a smirk. "Feeling warm yet?"

"Getting there."

He moved to sit behind her, his hands now working on her shoulders. She sensed what he was up to, but as he pressed his fingers to loosen her knots, followed by soft kisses on her neck, she couldn't deny the urge to join the ride he was already set on taking her.

Sora turned her head, lifting his with her hand to draw his lips to meet hers. She turned around on her knees to face him, her kisses slow and deep while her fingers trailed around his neck, running over the goosebumps forming. Her other hand reached his shirt collar, the collar that she straightened up numerous times, only to then to be crooked and unbuttoned at her bidding. She let her tongue slip into his mouth as she unbuttoned the rest of his shirt, and lifting up his shirt underneath, her hand running up against his muscled chest. His own hands ran circles around her lower back, giving her goosebumps in return.

"Getting warmer now," she uttered softly through her kisses, weakened by his touch. Tai let out a gentle laugh, yet she could tell there was a smirk on his lips as he broke off their kiss. He threw his shirt off completely before he pulled her close again.

"Allow me," he said, holding her close as his lips brushed against her neck and behind her ear. Before long, her dress had fallen to the floor, followed by her bra, until she herself fell against her back, with Tai gently laying her against the rug. "Where to, Sora?" he whispered against her ear, making her shudder.

"Anywhere," she whispered back, helplessly. He kissed her deeply against her lips before lowering them onto her chest, kissing his way down to her belly button, where she had to let out a laugh, feeling tickled by his lips.

She let him slip off her panties then, and she knew where his lips would end up next.

"Tai," she breathed, feeling his kisses against her inner thighs as he made his way in. She felt her whole body tense up at the first touch of his tongue, not knowing what to expect next, her mind going crazy. Even then, he kept going, and so did her soft moans escaping her lips, only getting louder. The feel of him tasting her deepened as she held her hands at her sides with her fingers gripping the rug, and her toes curling at her feet, feeling him go wild until she finally reached the point of exhilaration.

She grasped at the rug as she caught her breath, and Tai crawled on top of her, greeting her with another kiss. Her hands left the rug as she ran them through his hair, taking in his long, sweet kisses.

"One more request," Sora said, when their lips parted again, breathless as his chocolate brown eyes bore into hers.

"What's that?" he asked, his hard breath softening, but his quickening heartbeat matching hers against her chest.

"Love me."

His brows furrowed, and he looked at her curiously, but those twinkling brown eyes never faltered.

"Always," he said, lowering his lips to hers, kissing her as though he never wanted to stop.

Their stare never left each other as he lowered himself, with her legs wrapped around his torso before set things in motion as he pushed himself into her. She moved with him slowly at first, her nails digging into his hair and his back, only deepening her grasp, her cries louder as they rocked with each other. She never felt more in sync with him as they sped up, then slowed down to drive each other crazy, only to quicken their pace before driving each other into a moment of sweet, sweet ecstasy.

The moment didn't seem to leave either of them, even as they both breathed out, Tai falling onto her, his head resting on her breasts, the weight of his body on her like a warm blanket.

"Always," he said again, both of them calming their breaths, his hand reaching for hers to lace his fingers with. It was right then, Sora closed her eyes, her mind feeling at peace.

Finally,  _finally,_ she was happy that this felt so right.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hooolymoly. Hope the last two chapters Tai- ahem tides you over for a bit. FYI, Kasumi is named/modeled after the new character for the upcoming Persona5R - now, haven't I used a Persona 5 name before? Hmm. Anyway, I had fun with a lil Phantom Thieves reference I threw in this chapter. xP
> 
> Speaking of references, there's another bit in this chapter that I'll expand on in a future one-shot - wanna take a guess? - expect fluff when you see it :)
> 
> Thank you everyone again for reading! There are still some questions left to answer, so.. see you all next update! xx
> 
> Y'all warm after this chapter? Need a fan?
> 
> Stay warm <3


	26. [charming queen]

On Monday morning, Sora paid Izzy and Mimi a visit to offer help as they finished packing for their honeymoon trip, which would last for a week. Mimi has given Sora the duty of checking on the house from time to time while they were away.

"I baked too many pies again, so feel free to take as many as you want, Sora," Mimi said when she refused Sora's assistance and told her to sit. "I don't care how. Maybe even give some to Bira-sensei for all I care."

Sora remained tight-lipped, remembering Mimi's declaration at the nail salon about banning her from the pies for two weeks.

"But, wouldn't you want to save any for your bakery?" Sora asked instead, crossing her legs Indian-style on Mimi's bed.

"I really want them fresh by the time I get to start that up, you know?"

Mimi went on to tell Sora every detail about her Sunday post-wedding, just as she laid out her entire makeup collection to decide which products to bring. She and Izzy were tired by the time they woke up, but they had a nice brunch with both of their parents. Izzy was pressured into trying a Mimosa, which he admitted had a nice taste to it.

From then on, they spent the rest of the day lazing on the couch together, which Sora thought was well-deserved, given how much their lives had been taken over by wedding preparations.

"I hope you got a lot of rest yesterday, too, Sora," Mimi said then. "How was your Sunday?"

"My Sunday?" Sora asked, suddenly hesitant.

"Yeah. How was it?"

Sora blushed. The day ended similarly to Mimi and Izzy's, but she was almost embarrassed to reveal how most of the day went.

She had woken up just past noon that day from a deep sleep, sitting up not from the rug at the fireplace, but in Tai's bed. He must have carried her while she was knocked out from all that they did that night. The softness and coziness comforted the aching of her legs and feet, as well as the rest of her body. Tai was already awake, sitting up beside her, with the TV across the foot of the bed turned on at a low volume. She was saved by the warmth of his comforter, but he left it all to her, as he sat shirtless and unbothered by the cold air.

Only a few words of greeting were exchanged between them, before her hands moved onto his chest, his own starting on her hair, then down to her hips, before they both fell underneath the comforter and into each other again.

As she revealed this, Mimi reacted with a giggle, and Sora hid her furiously flaring cheeks behind her palms.

"Well, it's wonderful knowing how you two are doing together," Mimi said, grinning. "You both seemed really happy yesterday, and not just because it was the wedding day."

"I am, Meems," Sora admitted it, even with her hands still covering her face.

"Oh, Sora, look at you." Mimi left her makeup and went to Sora for a hug. "I'm so happy for you."

Sora giggled. "So am I."

The two of them spent the next hour going through Mimi's makeup collection, seeing that the suitcase was already filled to the brim. Mimi pouted as Sora lectured her that she didn't need to bring thirty different single-colored shadows or eight separate blushes of slightly different shades. She ended up settling with one blush shade that they both agreed went with everything, and two eyeshadow palettes.

"Are you really going to use all of that eyeshadow for the whole week?" Sora asked.

"I want to have at least  _some_ options," Mimi replied defensively.

Sora decided to let it be. It was Mimi's honeymoon trip, after all. She watched Mimi zip her makeup in a small pouch and squeeze it in the last of the tight space in her luggage. It ended up fitting okay, and Mimi squealed in delight the moment she shut the suitcase and ran the zipper around to close it.

"Sora," Mimi said, her tone calmer, as though she was relieved to finish her packing. "Who do you think is going to get married next?"

"Hmm." Sora uncrossed her legs, bending her knees and hugging them. "You just had your wedding, and you already want to think about another?"

"Why not? It's not as stressful when it's not mine anymore. Who do you think?"

"Well… Aika caught the bouquet, didn't she?"

"I doubt she and Matt will get married anytime soon, not that I don't like them together. Besides, I never believed in that superstition. I've never caught one."

"You're right about Matt." Sora thought about him and chuckled. "I wonder if he'll even tell us when it happens. He'll probably show up with Aika to dinner one night, and they'll both be wearing rings before we even realize."

Mimi grimaced. "He'd better not."

Sora found her own gaze drifting to her nails, now seeing some of the polish chipping off. Of course, it was only going to last for so long. Her eyes then moved down to the back of her fingers, suddenly remembering the slow dance at the wedding, when Tai planted a kiss on them, and then...

_What if…_

"Sora?"

Sora blinked, realizing her mind strayed and nearly forgot about Mimi sitting on the carpet next to her suitcase.

"To be honest… Davis and Kari seem the most likely," Sora replied.

"Hmm. You think so?"

"You saw them at the wedding, didn't you? They were in good spirits and they're so in love. Despite, you know…"

"Yeah…" Mimi's face fell, as they both remembered TK.

"I'll have to check on him later."

"Good idea."

"More importantly," Sora continued. "Davis has a ring."

Mimi's jaw dropped, and Sora nodded in response. She thought back to the previous afternoon, when Tai got up from the bed and walked over to his messy closet, grabbing and throwing clothes over his shoulders as he dug, even lowering to his knees as he searched further in. When he finally found the ring box, he dragged himself to Sora's bedside, holding up the purple velvet box in front of her to reveal the flower-shaped diamond ring.

"What do you think, Sora?" Tai asked. "What's Kari going to say to this?"

"Without a doubt, she's going to say 'yes'."

It was then that Sora noticed Tai had been on both of his knees as he held out the ring. Had he bent down on just one…

Tai seemed to notice this, too, and they both laughed nervously at this, with Sora's face feeling hot and Tai's cheeks going red, and he walked back towards the closet to put the ring away. They didn't talk about it for the rest of the day.

Of course, Sora left that whole conversation out when she divulged it to Mimi, who clasped her hands together with excitement at the description of the ring itself.

"Kari's totally going to love it!" Mimi said. "There's no way she isn't going to say 'yes'!"

"That's pretty much what I said!" Sora said in a slightly higher tone than normal as she giggled along with Mimi.

"Oh, but just you wait, Sora." Mimi got up from the floor and sat herself next to her, giving her a light nudge. "I don't think Tai will wait too long, either."

Sora's heart seemed to skip a beat.

"You think so?"

"You don't think he'd let the mini-version of himself take the lead on this kind of thing for too long, do you? Besides, Matt told me a long time ago that he was thinking about it."

"He told you  _what?_ "

"Well, he said it was a promise Tai made him keep but he ended up telling me after I pestered him for days."

"How long ago?" Sora asked.

"Well, this was before you guys broke up. You two were in love then. Just as you are now. There's no way he hasn't been thinking about it."

Sora was surprised by this. She couldn't imagine Tai thinking about this back then, but at the same time, she was so focused on pursuing the things she wanted - her job, her goals, her own dreams - that she might have failed to pay attention.

Just then, Izzy walked in, carrying small items in either of his hands, which Sora couldn't see at first from how far he stood. As he approached her and Mimi, Sora heard jangling of keys in one of his hands, to which he held out to her.

"I trust you'll make sure our house hasn't gone up in flames by the time we come back," he told her, as Mimi got up to wrap her arms around him.

"I'll make sure of it," said Sora.

"Oh, and Meems…" he turned to her as she leaned against him, and held his other hand up, which held a toothbrush. "Don't forget to pack this."

Sora watched as Mimi's face scrunched and she let out a low whine, snatching the toothbrush from Izzy's hands and heading back to her suitcase.

"You'll have to tell me all about Sydney when you come back," Sora told Izzy.

"I sure will, that is, if Mimi doesn't tell you every single detail first."

They both turned to Mimi, who unzipped her luggage by a small crack, then pushed the toothbrush all the way in before zipping it up again with a triumphant smile.

Soon, with a bag of assorted pies in a bag hanging on her wrist, Sora embraced them as she said her goodbyes before she headed to work, wishing them a safe travel and to enjoy themselves.

"I can't wait for us to do what Tai and Sora did," said Mimi, snuggling up against Izzy, who furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Should I interpret that as a good thing?"

Mimi winked at Sora, who waved as she turned and walked from their doorstep, blushing all over again.

* * *

Sora's mood changed the moment she entered the boutique. She had been saving her questions for Bira-sensei until that point, but as she approached the main counter, she stopped, caught off guard as her manager stood up.

"Oh, good, you're here, Sora," Bira-sensei said, running into the backroom. "I'm going to head out. Mind the boutique for me, will you, please? I just touched down from Paris last night, but I might be going back again."

"Um, sure…" Sora replied, crestfallen at yet another turn of events. She heard rustling and shuffling from the backroom, and then began to wonder. When will she ever get to talk to Bira-sensei, if not now? Without a second thought, she headed into the backroom, knowing she had to at least get some answers while she could, face-to-face. "Sensei-"

"Yes, Sora?"

"You've talked about taking me to Paris before. Will I ever get to go with you?"

Bira-sensei's back was turned to Sora as she dug through her purse, but the question didn't stop her from whatever she was doing.

"We'll have to talk about that some other time," Bira-sensei replied. It was an answer that still left things unclear.

"Bira-sensei, are you closing down the shop?"

That was when Bira-sensei stopped, though just as she pulled her car keys from her purse, and put on her sunglasses.

"It's an option right now. But not in the way you might think. Listen, Sora, Honey, I've gotta go."

She walked past Sora, who felt her heart sinking, her mind feeling the fear creep in. These vague responses only worried her, and they only led her to believe that the rumors she heard bore some truth in them.

Sora couldn't take this anymore.

"I'll quit before you decided to let me go!" Sora said with her voice raised, stopping Bira-sensei a few feet from the front door. Luckily, the shop was empty, save for the two of them. Bira-sensei appeared hesitant at first, but then, she sighed, before taking her glasses off and turning to Sora.

"Sora, I'm not going to fire you. There are a lot of things in motion right now, and I need you to do two things: One - help me run this shop; and two - please be patient."

Sora frowned. "Why are you keeping me in the dark?"

Bira-sensei stopped in front of Sora and placed her hands on either of her shoulders, looking her straight in the eyes. "I don't want to set an expectation that might fall through in the end. Please. Trust me, Sora."

Sora pressed her lips together, and lowered her stare onto the ground. She really wanted to trust Bira-sensei, someone she admired so much, and someone who cheered her on and supported her from the moment they met.

On the other hand, there could be greater opportunities out there, anyway. She worked at the shop long enough, not to mention she was waiting for that call from Kasumi…

"I really should go," said Bira-sensei, patting Sora's shoulder before letting her go. As she walked away, Sora's eyes fell on the bag of stacked pies still in her hand.

"Care for a pie on the way?" Sora said, hoping to lift the tense atmosphere between them. "My friend Mimi makes an amazing apple pie."

But Bira-sensei grimaced.

"You know I hate apples. One of the worst things that this season has to offer."

Sora smiled warmly, then held out a whole pie for Bira-sensei to take with her. "I'm sure you'll change your mind after this."

* * *

Other than the fact that it was a typical busy Monday, the day did not get any better after Bira-sensei left. She had sent a message to TK during her break, but her notifications remained empty, even as she closed shop that evening. The only message she received happened to be from Tai, but only telling her that he left dinner for her on the table.

It didn't snow that night, but Sora shivered on her walk back to Tai's place. She welcomed the warmth as she walked in through the door, smiling as she heard the heater running and the fireplace blazing. Tai was nowhere to be found, though she figured he was already upstairs.

Her stomach growled, and she didn't feel like eating, but she eyed the steamed fish, rice, and vegetables left plastic-wrapped on the dining table. Knowing Tai, he would get upset at her for not eating, especially if it was about food he made. After she made a cup of tea, she sat down and took her first bite, and her face contorted to an involuntary frown.

 _Way too much salt,_ she thought to herself as she chewed. He definitely knew how to cook some things well, more than anyone gave him credit for, but this meal was one of those she felt that she needed to stand over his shoulder to watch him. Still, she ended up eating a little more before putting the rest away, washing it down with more tea than she normally drank.

Both her bedroom door and his were shut when she went upstairs, indicating that Tai might have already gone to bed. She left him be, thinking that she'll sneak into his again for the night. But, as she opened her door and turned the light on, she discovered that Tai had snuck into hers first.

He was already asleep, hugging one of her pillows to his bare chest, taking up the whole bed.

Once she took her bath and readied for bed, she went back to Tai nudging him so that she could get him to make room for her. He stirred and opened his eyes, edging himself over one side and letting her grab the pillow he held. His sleepy stare made her almost feel guilty to have woken him up. He must have had a Monday just as rough as hers.

But while he was awake, she might have had a chance to ask about what Mimi mentioned earlier.

"Tai?" she asked in a soft whisper.

"Hmm?" he asked with his heavy-lidded stare, looking as though he was gathering all the energy he could muster to give her his attention. The guilt washed over her even more, especially with how adorable she found him at that moment.

"Nothing. Goodnight." Sora kissed his cheek, then she laid back against her bed with him, and let his arms go around her to hold against him in place of her pillow.

* * *

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday droned on for Sora. She minded the store by herself on those days, without any timeframe as to when Bira-sensei would return. It didn't stop her from starting the job search once again. She hadn't heard from Kasumi either, and she left her a voicemail checking on her status.

The only time Bira-sensei contacted her, however, was her response about Mimi's pie.

.

" _Sora, you were right about this pie. How much do you still have? I'll pay for whatever you have left. Please offer them to our customers as well."_

.

Of course, Mimi was beyond excited when she found out about this.

.

" _Business is starting early! YAY! YOU'RE THE GREATEST!"_

.

TK still hadn't replied back to Sora, but she still found out how he was doing - from Kari, surprisingly enough:

.

" _I talked to TK, Sora. He's doing okay. He's just coping. Davis has calmed down about it, too."_

" _What about you, Kari?"_ Sora asked back.

" _I'm fine. I'm just glad TK is alright."_

.

"So am I," Sora muttered to herself, seeing this as a good sign that TK was hopefully coming to terms with his feelings.

Sora caught up with Tai when she arrived at his place on Thursday evening. He had just returned from the gym, and it gave them a chance to eat together for the first time that week. Otherwise, she found herself waking up when he did the last few mornings, and ended up talking to him as he got ready for work.

"I want to try making something with eggplant one of these days," said Tai as they ate takeout ramen on the couch.

"Wow, Tai making  _eggplant_?" Sora asked. "Did the wedding food change your mind somehow?"

"It was a life-changing experience," he replied, to which she giggled.

"Just don't add too much salt when you do, okay?"

Tai made a face. "Hey, that fish needed flavor!"

"It would have made sense if I wanted fish in my salt, Tai."

He laughed along with her. "Okay, fine. I'll keep the salt shaker away from the 'wedding food' when I make it."

The mention of the wedding got Sora nervous as their laughter died down. Not once throughout this whole week did she bring up that subject to Tai.

Was she afraid to?

"What's up, Sora?" Tai asked, watching her with curiosity.

"Oh, n-nothing," she said. "I guess I just zoned out. It's been quite a week."

"I'll say. But hey, nothing like a good workout though to keep your mind off of it all."

Then, Tai stood up, saying he was going to shower before bed, but stole a kiss on her cheek before he left.

"Sorry if I'm all sweaty and gross," Tai said with a grin.

Sora smiled. "You should only be sorry for missing your aim," she replied, bringing his lips to hers.

They stared at each other as he went up the stairs and she headed toward the kitchen. Sora felt happy being with him again, especially after everything that happened between them in the last few years, and even in the recent months. Now that she had him back, she wanted to hold on to him, regardless of what they were going to face together next.

He never left her mind even as she finished washing the dishes. She sensed what he was thinking before he left to shower, and her thoughts matched his - that whichever bed they were going to meet in, that sleep wasn't the first thing on either of their minds.

A kiss wasn't the only thing she wanted tonight.

Sora heard the pitter patter of the shower as she sauntered into his room. She had been planning to take a bath, but another idea enticed her as she slipped her clothes off with each step towards the bathroom. She grabbed a clean towel and wrapped it around her body underneath her arms, then pushed the bathroom door open.

She saw Tai standing in the bathtub through the clear shower curtains, his back turned as he lathered soap all over himself. He didn't notice one bit that she was approaching him. Another idea crossed her mind, while she slowed her steps even more, remembering that a payback for last time was well overdue. She watched him grab the shampoo bottle, tiptoeing until she got closer and closer, and then-

"BOO!" Sora shouted, causing Tai to yell and jump, the shampoo bottle flying out of his hands.

"What the hell, Sora?!" he cried as the panic left him, although she couldn't respond as she crouched down, her hands to her mouth and stomach as she doubled over in laughter.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it," she wheezed, failing to catch her breath as she couldn't stop laughing.

"Geez, you scared my soul out of me," he said, now laughing only because she was. "You really got me."

As her laughter died down, Tai picked up the bottle of shampoo, and Sora held out her hand. "Here, sit, I'll make it up to you."

"Yes, please," he said turning off the shower, and she had him sit in the tub. Adding the liquid soap on her palms, she worked a lather into his wet hair, running her fingers and massaging into his scalp.  _"Yes… please…"_  his voice sounding weaker as her hands moved.

"Think you need a little more…?" she asked.

"Mm-hmm…"

She massaged his hair a little longer before turning the shower back on, held in one hand over him to rinse the shampoo away, still working her other hand to clean out the suds.

"There, all done," she said, running her fingers through his hair again before kissing the nape of his neck. She put the shower head back in place, though just as he turned around, grabbing her by the waist, and with her, he fell with his back against the edge of the tub, surprising her.

"Tai!" she said irritably, smacking his chest, his smirk showing no remorse. "That was dangerous."

"Did you fall from Heaven?" he asked. "Because you look like an angel."

Sora burst into laughter as she held his shoulders, leaning her chest closer onto his. "You're lucky there's more to you than your stupid pickup lines."

"Hey - I got them to work on some girls, at least."

She felt his hand run down her back, already feeling a chill, the kind she had been craving.

"It's not like I was ever 'some girl' to you."

"You never were."

Sora lowered herself for her lips to touch his, her hands going into his hair once again. The shower continued to fall over both of them as she felt his hands moved all around, his lips hungrily kissing hers back. His hand moved to her bottom, and he lightly nibbled at her lower lip. Her attempt at a 'Yes, please' failed as it escaped as a moan, and the feel of his wet skin against hers only encouraged her into a slow grind. He breathed her name as they melted into each other's' kisses, and she called him back, rocking faster and faster until they both reached their climax.

Between their panting, she laid over his chest for a few moments, feeling the warmth of each of his breaths over her. They both laughed softly, and she ran her hand up and down the muscles on his chest, before eventually going lower, ready to satisfy him even more.

Sora knew they were nowhere near from being done. Sleep would probably happen by the time they got to bed after all, but for what she knew for sure, as she straddled herself over him again, that it was going to be a while before sleep was going to happen.

* * *

As Thursday morning arrived, even after a late night with Tai, Sora woke up just as he rolled out of his bed, which had the shortest distance from his bathroom.

"My Charming Queen," he said, greeting her with a sleepy kiss. "Go back to bed."

Truth be told, Sora didn't think she would be able to if she tried. The anxiety building up from work had her sleeping light over the last week.

"Explain this to me," she said, her head still against her pillow as she let out a yawn. "Why 'Charming Queen'?"

"I was hoping you'd figure it out," he said groggily, walking over to his closet to grab the first shirt he saw. "Obviously, you can't be my 'Prince Charming,' I'm not into dudes. You're not a princess, either. You have the power to take over anything if you wanted to. You're a queen."

"Hmm… I don't know about that, Tai."

"I think you can do it. Unless you'd rather be called 'Noir-ior Princess' again."

Sora didn't have the energy to throw a pillow across the room at him. She groaned and rolled over, covering herself with the comforter, hearing Tai's laughter muffled through it.

Soon, she heard him turn the bathroom faucet on, and hearing the soft sound of the water running relaxed her enough for her eyelids to droop and fall into sleep again.

That was, until her phone began to buzz and ring next to her pillow. How early was it for anyone to call her? She decided to stay put and let it go to her voicemail. No way would she be awake enough to speak coherently if she answered.

"Did I hear your phone?" she heard Tai ask when the faucet stopped. "Why didn't you answer it?"

Sora let out a whine.

"Why do I feel like we switched places this morning?" he continued, then went quiet, and Sora heard a beep. "Hey, Sora - isn't Sakura Kasumi that photographer you were waiting to hear back from?"

With a lunge forward, Sora sat up and threw the comforter off of herself, suddenly feeling a burst of energy. She grabbed her phone from a startled Tai, dialed her voicemail, and turned on the phone's speaker for both of them to listen.

" _Hey, Sora, it's Kasumi. Listen, I talked to my manager, and… call me when you get the chance, okay?"_

Sora looked over to Tai.

"Well?" he said.

A few seconds later, Sora dialed Kasumi back, keeping the call on speaker, and Tai sat next to her.

"Good morning, Sora," said Kasumi, her voice sounding hesitant.

"I'm sorry I missed your call," Sora replied. "Is everything okay?"

"Well... I feel like I screwed up. I shouldn't have said anything. I'm so sorry."

Sora looked over to Tai again, both of them confused.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, when I told my manager about your work and what I told you I'd do, she was more than happy to call her contact in the industry…but then, I told her your name. And she exploded at me, Sora! And I think you might explode at me, too. I feel so terrible."

"I still don't understand."

Kasumi let out a sigh full of guilt. "Listen, I can still make arrangements for an interview if you'd like, but please understand how sorry I am about this."

"Really, Kasumi, you aren't making sense. I still don't understand why you're apologizing. What could you have done to feel like this? And who is this contact that would make me so upset-"

Sora froze, her heart stopping as she came into realization. For a moment, she felt foolish questioning how any designer in the fashion industry could ever upset her, not after what happened to her.

Not after the head designer herself looked her in the eyes and let her walk away after being humiliated from having her own work stolen from her.

"It's Haru, isn't it?" Sora said, though her voice reduced to a soft tremble along with her body, feeling the kind of chill she hated. "Okamoto Haru."

"I'm really sorry, Sora," Kasumi said once more, before Sora set the phone down and pushed the button to end the call.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How's this for a chapter's end? Sora's not having a good time job-wise. But, she's certainly having a good time with Tai ;x 
> 
> Shoutout to Columbrina - thanks for leaving a comment! Thanks for leaving kudos, and thanks again for reading!
> 
> Stay warm <3


	27. [beats me]

"Sora, you're shaking."

"What?"

Sora blinked, seeing Tai sitting in front of her, with his brown eyes full of concern. When she looked down, she saw what he was talking about—her hands shaking as she held them up, her body shivering as though she had been standing outside in that morning's freezing temperature.

She must have sat there for a few moments after that phone call. The hand she lifted had been on the bed only moments before, next to her phone that remained silent. Of all names to be brought up, it was the one she never wanted to hear again.

"Sora…"

She turned her head to see that Tai reached over her to wrap the comforter around her. His arms didn't let go when he wrapped them around her tightly.

"Are you okay, Tai?" she asked.

"What a silly thing to ask me," he said, sounding serious but the amusement was still there. "I'm not the one Kasumi called."

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"Do you really think you're going to fool me with that, Sora?"

She didn't. She couldn't will her body to stop trembling, and she still had a quiver in her voice. With a sigh, she pulled apart from him, but looked down where she placed her fists in front of her.

"I shouldn't even care about this," she said. "So what if Haru was Kasumi's contact? It was only a coincidence. She's not the only designer out there, and it's not like any job was ever set in stone, anyway. I could always turn down the interview. I'll have to call Kasumi back."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"I have no idea."

Tai placed his hand over hers, squeezing it. "Maybe I should go in late to work today."

"What? No, Tai." She looked up at his worried stare. "Don't miss work on my behalf."

"I just don't want to leave you alone. Not like the last time."

"The last time…"

Sora knew he was talking about that day she lost her job. She could never forget any part of that day—the moment she got back to her apartment, the state she was in—and, by seeing the anxious look in his eyes, she knew that he hadn't forgotten, either.

She held back the tears that stung her eyes. She had to figure out how to handle this predicament, and she had to do it without Tai worrying about it. Moving her palm to place on his cheek, she gave him a smile, knowing that she was still uncertain about it all.

"I'll think about how I'm going to deal with this. You don't have to share the burden with me, Tai. Go get ready for work, okay?"

After a long stare down, Tai finally gave in. "Okay," he said, and got up from her side, but not before kissing her. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Sora lay back in bed, the comforter still wrapped around her body, and she watched Tai button up his shirt, fix up the tie underneath his collar, then walk back to the bathroom to fix his hair. Somehow, the warmth returned a little as she continued to stare at him, her mind calming down, distracted from her worries about the boutique and of  _Haru, Inc._ , and it was enough to convince her to save her thoughts for later, after she finally fell back to sleep.

* * *

When Sora woke a few hours later, she headed straight to Mimi and Izzy's, and stuck an apple pie in the oven while she did a quick check of every room in the house. When she sat down on the couch to wait for the pie to warm up, she felt her phone buzz, and saw a message from Matt.

" _Where are you? Want some Pork Katsu Curry?"_  he asked.

" _YES,"_ was Sora's quick reply.  _"I'm at Mimi's, but I can get to you."_

" _Don't worry about it. I'm just out and about, so I'll bring it over."_

Soon, Matt arrived with a bag of food, and together they set the dining table to eat. Sora noticed how refreshed he look without the worn lines underneath his eyes, compared to the way he looked the week before.

"Looks like you've been having a nice week off?" Sora asked.

"I haven't done anything," Matt said. "Haven't touched a microphone since the wedding—I might have forgotten how to sing."

Sora shot him a look as she took a scoop of rice and curry.

"Tai told me about Davis's ring," Matt added. "He told me Davis was planning to propose when Mimi and Izzy came back from their honeymoon."

"Hmm. Tai told me about that, but told me not to tell anyone," Sora said. "I guess he told you, too."

"Oh. Well…" Matt stopped and stared at his fork mid-air, as though he was deep in thought. "He couldn't hold it in, I guess."

Sora looked at him, remembering her chat with Mimi earlier that week. "I know this will be between us, but you better not tell Mimi any more secrets like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb, Yamacchi. You've told her about a certain someone else's plan to propose before."

Matt nearly choked on his curry.

"She wasn't supposed to tell you," he coughed.

"And you  _trusted_ her on that?"

"Fair enough…" Matt got his coughs out of the way but was then clearing his throat. "As long as Tai doesn't know that anyone else knows about that."

"He doesn't," she said rather quickly.

Matt eyed her suspiciously, and returned the stare down with a hard stare. Then, as though they realized at the same time that neither of them would back down first, they both broke into laughter.

"Aika wants to be there when it happens," Matt said.

"You told her, too?"

"It's not like there isn't anyone else for her to tell."

"You're just as bad as Mimi with secrets, if not worse."

Matt went on to talk about how he had been hanging out with Aika that week, and Sora found herself less bothered by Matt's secret keeping and more intrigued at the way Matt's eyes lit up as he talked about his girlfriend. He made Sora giggle when he mentioned that Aika left the bouquet she caught at the wedding in a vase on his kitchen counter.

"She said it added color to my apartment," he said.

Sora chuckled. "You were never one to decorate, anyway."

Matt and Tai left Sora to handle the decorating in their university apartment in those days. They had a tight budget between the three of them, but with Mimi's help, Sora always found a little something to add for herself and her two male roommates, whether it was a rug for the living room or wall decor for their two bedrooms.

"I still have that bass clef artwork you framed for my wall," Matt said, telling her that he was thinking about the same thing. "Aika wanted me to tell you that you have good taste."

"I just knew it would be something you'd enjoy," Sora said, smiling warmly.

"She keeps asking about you." Matt paused as he set down his spoon. "Aika wants to see a movie and then have dinner on Saturday night. She wants to know if you and Tai would like to join us."

"A double date?"

Sora was surprised by the thought. Not by the fact that Matt had asked her—she was quickly growing fond of Aika—but by the fact that she hadn't gone out with Tai like that in a while, especially not since they had gotten back together again.

"If you want to call it that. We just want to hang out with you."

"Okay. I'll let Tai know."

Matt laughed. "At least you're acting like yourself about it. Tai has to go without having a say in any of it."

Sora made a face again. "I'm sure he'll be just as happy to come along."

"He has to be  _now_ , anyway."

"It isn't like that, Yamacchi!"

They both laughed, and as they cleaned up their pork katsu curry and moved on to the slices of pie, Sora took note of the cheer in his eyes, reminiscent of the days past, maybe during university. It wasn't just from the wedding that they were both held in highest regard, nor was it just from the fact that he was having a nice, restful week off from his band. It was him at feeling at ease knowing that she and Tai were no longer in their turmoil, and that this double date probably meant more to him than she realized.

"I'm glad you're feeling okay," Matt said, after they finished their meals and he cleaned up their plates. "It sounded to me like you had a rough morning."

"Yeah, I—" Sora stopped herself from talking any further. Despite how comfortable she was talking to him, she didn't remember talking to him about it at any point that day.

There was only one way he could have found out.

"Tai must've told you," she said then, her smile slowly fading. She should have known that Tai's worrying doesn't just disappear in an instant. He must have called Matt while on the train or while in his office on his desk phone. If Tai put him up to this—

"Tai didn't put me up to this, Sora," said Matt as he washed the dishes in the kitchen sink, and Sora knew that he must have sensed what she was thinking. "He's not the only one who was concerned. You know me. I'm doing this on my own accord."

He said this before. Sora knew how persuasive Tai was, but Matt always reminded her how much he cared about her regardless. Bringing her food and keeping her company was something she didn't realize she needed that day, and she more grateful than her words could express.

Silence fell over the two of them as she helped him dry the dishes with a towel and place them back in the cupboards. It was time for Sora to head out to work by then, so they left the house and walked together until they had to part ways at the train station.

Before they did, Sora pulled him into a tight embrace, catching him by surprise. As he hugged back, she felt the familiar sting of tears on her eyes again, but still wanting to hold them back.

"Thank you so much for today, Matt," she said as they pulled apart, and Matt patted her shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll figure out what to do," he said. "You've gotten out of messy situations like this all the time."

They exchanged smiles before she went off to ride in her train, on her way to the boutique, not knowing whether Bira-sensei would even be there when she arrived. As she picked up her phone, she saw that three messages were waiting for her to read. One was from Joe and Mimi each, both of whom Tai also must have talked to:

_**Joe:** _ _"You okay, Sora? I'm here if you need to talk, anytime."_

_**Mimi:** _ _You've got this, Sora! Hang in there! I don't care if we're across the sea from each other! Call me, okay?!_

The other was from none other than the man himself:

_**Tai:** _ _"You can handle this, Sora. I believe in you."_

With that, Sora finally gave in to the tears, now streaming warm against her cheeks. It all served as a good reminder that her friends were still there to keep her out of the cold darkness before she let that memory take her back in.

She carried this feeling through the rest of the day, going to work with no Bira-sensei yet again, holding down the fort with her main duties, and even serving pie slices as a complimentary gift to her customers. She tried to keep her mind off of everything during the slowdown in customer traffic by bringing out her sketchbook to look at her old ideas. Perhaps this was going to be the new normal as it was all week. Her boss remained absent, but at least she still had a job. She wore her bright, cheerful smile on until she closed the shop, and the cold arrived again as she trekked back to Tai's house. That was when the thought of  _Haru, Inc_ , crossed her mind once again.

No way in hell did she want to work for Haru again. Whatever would happen with Bira-sensei, if she lost her job which brought her a step back career-wise, she knew she'd be able to find ways to get where she wanted. Kasumi was still a good connection, and Sora would probably snag a glowing recommendation from Bira-sensei, either way.

But, was it even worth talking to Haru-sensei, if at all?

Tai stood up from the couch as soon as Sora walked into the door. He appeared anxious as she got out of her flats and took off her jacket, but the next thing she did was what he seemed to wait for her to do—what she had been waiting to do all day—which was to fall into his arms as he held her in his warm embrace.

"I don't want to talk about it," Sora said into his chest, her voice quivering. "Okay?"

"Okay," he said softly, kissing the top of her hair.

* * *

The remaining week day passed by slowly, but Sora was happy to finally get to the weekend, when she decided it was a good time to clear her mind from the worries of the week. She tried and failed to get Tai to get out of bed to go jogging with her in the morning, but she managed to drag him out of bed to get brunch at a cafe with her. Even with a double date planned that evening, Sora thought it would be nice to spend time with him outside of the house on their own.

By the time they finished their meal, Sora sipped the last of her coffee, unsurprised that Tai stared at her curiously when he pulled out his wallet. As the waiter brought the check to their table, Sora remained tight lipped, casually looking elsewhere.

But when Tai slid a card from his wallet, that was when she heard him laugh aloud.

"So, you were the cash fairy all along?" he asked, taking out the card to wave in front of her—the card with her name on it.

"I needed to pay you back somehow, Tai," said Sora defensively. She had given up sneaking him cash, and her last resort was putting her card in his wallet in hopes he'd charge her card without realizing it.

"I've told you, Sora." Tai leaning forward to hold her hand as he returned her card to her. "You don't need to worry about that with me. You don't owe me anything."

"Let me pay for brunch."

"You could have just said that."

No, she couldn't have. He would have insisted on paying, either way, and they would have gotten into a bickering match until she had her way. Somehow, this scenario played out much more smoothly for them, and she was glad that he agreed this time.

"Glad I caught you in the act, just in time," Tai said as they left the cafe, his arm holding her behind her waist. "Who knows what I would've used it for?"

"Knowing you, junk food from the street," said Sora, then went on with a grin. "Food from the  _conbini_ , beer and junk food at a bar—"

"Yeah, yeah, point taken." Tai rolled his eyes as Sora giggled.

"I'm sure if you charged it with something big, you would probably pay more attention?"

"Probably. Especially if it was something expensive like a—Uh…"

Sora watched him more closely, noticing that he might have caught himself about to say something he didn't want to.

"—a car!" he finished.

Sora furrowed her brows. "A  _car?"_

"Yeah! A Lexus, or a Supra would be  _really_ nice." Tai looked to Sora and caught her confused expression. "A sports car, Sora."

"...Sure."

"I'm serious! Maybe once I figure out the whole job thing, I'll start thinking about buying one. Aren't you tired of trains and taxi rides? It will be great to drive my baby around."

"Your 'baby', as in, your  _car_ , when you have it."

"Of course."

Sora continued to stare at Tai's look of certainty, then he burst out laughing again.

"You know I'm joking! I meant you."

"Uh-huh."

They kept on walking, with Tai laughing and kissing her cheek as he gave her a tight squeeze. Sora laughed with his playful gesture, now imagining a bright-colored sports car in the future. But she couldn't help but wonder, if there was something else he was thinking about.

* * *

After watching a movie on Saturday evening, Sora, Tai, Matt, and Aika walked together to the nearest bar in the downtown area.

"That movie was awful," Aika said as the four of them were seated at a booth table, one couple sat on each side.

"I didn't think it was that bad," said Tai, who nudged Sora's arm. "Those jump scares really had you going, didn't they, Sora?"

Sora laughed at the memory. "I'm sorry about my death grip, Tai."

Aika chose a horror movie for them to watch, which Sora didn't care for, but didn't mind watching, either. Contrary to Aika's opinion, she enjoyed watching it, especially with having Tai by her side to hold onto at the most intense scenes.

"I guess you can never expect a horror movie to have a good story," said Aika. "What did you think, Matt?"

"I hated it," he said, already looking away from the three of them.

Sora giggled with her hand to her mouth. "Matt's afraid of horror stories."

"Am not, Sora."

"He always had an excuse whenever we watched horror movies with the others," added Tai with a knowing smile.

"Is that why you held my hand so tight during the movie?" Aika said, her voice softening as she grabbed hold of Matt's arm in comfort.

"Can we drop this?" Matt asked, his cheeks now turning slightly pink.

Sora heard a familiar sound then, causing her head to turn. It was the sound of a whistle, followed by audible cheers from a stadium audience, and it all came from the TVs placed near the walls and pillars of the restaurant. She gasped, smacking her hand on Tai's shoulder and squeezed it tightly, not unlike her reaction to the lead female character running away from her inevitable murderer during the horror movie.

She looked to Tai, whose eyes widened with excitement like hers. Not only was it a football game playing on all the TV screens, but it was a match they had been looking forward to.

"Italy!" Sora squealed.

"Portugal!" Tai said with equal enthusiasm.

"Whoa, what's going on?" Sora heard Aika ask, though Sora's eyes were already glued to the TV up above.

"Oho, this'll be fun," Matt said, his voice now sounding relaxed and with amusement.

Sora felt guilty seeing that the game was on when she also wanted to learn more about Aika. She was torn on how to socialize with her new friend, all while wanting to watch every second of Team Italy taking the surprise win against Team Portugal, at least, that was her prediction with the way Italy had been playing all season. She looked to Aika, ready to apologize, when—

"Gawd, Portugal sucks, don't they?" Aika said, and Sora looked at her in amazement as Matt pressed his lips together, still amused.

"You take that back," said Tai, appalled.

"Italy's my number one! You guys saw the game with Spain a couple weeks back, right? I knew they had it in them to crush such a weak team."

Sora gasped loudly, causing Tai to hold his hand in front of her from leaning forward any further. Although she took offense to Aika's comment, she knew at that moment that Aika would fit right in with them.

The game was already at the second half, and Italy had just scored their second goal, tying the game with Portugal. Sora munched on a piece of  _karaage_  and took a few gulps of cider as she watched Italy running and leading the ball across the field, before she heard Aika say her name.

"Hmm?" Sora asked.

"Matt told me that you, Tai and Izzy were in the same football club when you were younger."

"Yeah, that's how the three of us met. Before we met everyone else at summer camp. Isn't that right, Tai?"

Sora looked to Tai, who had been paying close attention to the TV. She gave him a light nudge.

"Huh?" Tai said, and Sora heard Matt chuckle next to Aika.

"You'll have to excuse those two," Matt told Aika as he held his glass of beer in his hand. "It's hard to get their attention when it comes to football."

"Dammit!" said Tai suddenly, and everyone turned to the TV. Aika cheered along with a few others at the bar, watching Team Italy score goal number three. Sora clinked her glass with Aika's stout in celebration of the goal.

"My two older brothers forced me into watching football with them when I was younger," Aika explained. "They both pushed Team Portugal on me, so I wanted to find my own team to favor to spite them. So, I stuck with Team Italia. If I could see their faces right now…"

"Do you think it would look anything like Tai's?" Sora asked, watching Tai's face glower.

"Not cool," Tai said, and Sora gave him a hug with empathy, remembering the time watching her favorite team lose.

The game ended with Italy winning 4-2, and the four of them continued with dinner and drinks. Sora noticed Tai perk up a little when Aika began to talk about her favorite kind of beers.

"I like trying out the fruity ones, just for fun," Aika said. "Like peaches, strawberries, blueberries—almost makes me want summer to hurry up and come back."

"Amen to that," said Sora, raising her glass.

"Dark beers are my favorite, though. I'm with you, Tai. Guinness is the best."

"That's how we first talked, wasn't it?" Matt asked. "It was at the after party of one of my gigs. I asked for three pints of Guinness for the table and the bartender gave me four."

"That girl hated me. I was getting irritated for waiting too long and I was about to start something when I saw her serve you first." Aika's look of annoyance changed as she laughed. "Matt started apologizing to me then, and it wasn't even his fault. Who knew that the lead singer who is so intense on stage was just a big softie off of it?"

"I bet that's how I won you over."

Aika had been fiddling with Matt's hair with her fingers, both of them smiling at each other.

After the dinner plates cleared and one more round of drinks, they all decided to call it a night. Aika invited Sora and Tai to her next gig, and promised to put them on the guest list.

"We better make sure we can go to Matt's next one whenever he invites us," Sora told Tai when the two of them rode in the taxi. "After all those times we both couldn't make it."

"Good point," said Tai.

Sora leaned against him as he held her on the ride back to his place, but she noticed that was the only thing he said, for most of the evening, especially after the end of the football game. She couldn't read his expression, but based on his less than enthused tone, it was easy for her to figure out the reason.

"You're still sad about Portugal, aren't you?" she asked.

"Don't remind me, Sora," he said, confirming her suspicion. He raised his brow at her as she began to giggle. "What's so funny?"

"It'll be okay, Tai," she said, nuzzling against him, finding comfort in his warmth. "This was a huge blow for them, especially when they were defeated by a team that they're clearly better than, or, at least, we all thought they were.  _Geez_ , Italy was amazing tonight."

"I can't tell if you're trying to make me feel better, or if you're mocking me. But clearly, you're having fun messing with me."

"Cheer up, Tai. There's always next year, when they're on equal footing with my Spaniards. Well, a few notches below them, anyway. Portugal still sucks."

" _Ha!_  I should've known it was the latter. Don't come crying to me when your Spaniards start at the bottom next season. I won't be there for you."

"Aww, really?" Sora lifted her head to look into his brown eyes, which were now amused. "We were doing  _so_ well. It's a wonder how this will even work between us, then."

"Beats me."

She smiled and gave him a light peck on his lips, happy that she at least got him to smile, too. It was his smile she loved to see whenever he greeted her, when she made him laugh, or when she felt like kissing him. The warm feeling it brought her whenever she saw it, the comfort it brought to her no matter what mood she was in. It made her feel like she was right at…

"Ah, here we are," said Tai as the taxi slowed to a stop. "Home." He got out first and held out his hand to help her out. As the taxi drove away, Tai wrapped his arms around her without a second thought, knowing it would help keep her from freezing. She held him back in her tight embrace as they walked together. Despite everything else, she only felt lucky to be in his warmth, and that they really were, in fact, doing well.

* * *

It was on Sunday evening when Sora decided to call Kasumi back.

She woke up later than usual that morning, yet still before Tai. She ate a light snack and made herself a mug of tea, then brought it up to her bedroom, where she took out her old sketchbook. After the wedding, she had been drawing new ideas that sprung into her head, but especially after Kasumi's call, she turned to the older pages, reminiscing on her sketches that inspired designs when she worked at  _Haru, Inc._  To think, most of her finest work came while working there.

"Drawing again?" came a groggy voice.

Tai appeared behind her with a kiss on her cheek. She had been so consumed by her drawings that she didn't realize he had walked into her room and sat onto her bed, his chin on her shoulder while he looked at her sketchbook with her.

"You know how I am when I have the sketchbook in my hands," Sora told him.

"I know," he said, holding her at her waist. "I could watch you draw all day, you know."

She went back to turning the pages, and felt the weight of his body against her back a few moments later, telling her that he had dozed off once again.

He was still asleep by the time she decided to get up for a break. She did some stretches and then went around the house to tidy up, her sketchbook still on her mind. There was a part of her that was missing, and in the back of her mind she had always known that she had to get it back.

Eventually, Tai rolled out of her bed, threw on a shirt, and helped her with the cleaning. They finished by the evening, with Tai's closet decluttered and organized. By the time she sat on the couch and Tai rested his head on her lap, both of them waiting for their ramen order by delivery, she had finally made up her mind.

"Are you really going through with this?" Tai asked.

"As much as I don't want to," said Sora, running her fingers in his hair. "It's something I know I need to do."

Sora picked up her phone and hit dial, and Tai sat up to sit next to her. Sure, it was Sunday evening, but Sora felt this wasn't something she couldn't let weigh on her shoulders before Monday morning. She accepted the fact that Kasumi might have been away from her phone and waited to hear the voicemail message play, but she was nearly caught off guard when Kasumi picked up after the second ring.

"Sora?" Kasumi asked, sounding surprised herself.

"Sorry to bother you," she said, "but I just wanted to call you back about your contact."

"Oh, Sora, before you say anything else, I want to apologize again. I didn't realize what I did and it's totally okay if you turn down a meeting."

Sora heaved a sigh. "I'm not going to turn it down."

Kasumi gasped. "You're not?"

"If she's still okay with it, I'd like to set up a meeting with her."

Silence fell on the other end. Sora looked to Tai who watched her, holding her hand in support.

"I'll set it up first thing tomorrow morning," Kasumi said.

Sora expressed her words of gratitude before ending the call, then let out another sigh. She didn't want to go anywhere near that place again no matter what, but there was one thing she couldn't let go of: She knew that she had to take back what was stolen from her, and for that, she had to be ready for anything.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sora's got the best friends, doesn't she? And the best Tai, who just can't wait to buy a shiny new car. Also, shoutout to Matt in tri. part 5 when they were stuck in the blackout ;)
> 
> Thank you for reading and leaving me Kudos! Shoutout to 'sparksofarevolution' for leaving a comment! 
> 
> To everyone who clicked through from Tumblr, hello! I just set one up - feel free to follow me there for updates and other shenanigans.
> 
> 'Til next update, I'm off to watch the live-action version of Tai's favorite Disney movie ;)
> 
> Stay warm <3


	28. [knock 'em dead]

Just before leaving Tai's house for work on Monday, Sora received a call back from Kasumi.

"Okamoto-san has time available on Wednesday afternoon," said Kasumi. "Would you be able to make it then?"

"I'll get back to you on that," said Sora. She couldn't just give the okay right away. Whether or not Bira-sensei was going to be at the boutique when she arrived, Sora at least wanted to give her boss the respect and courtesy in asking for the time off first.

As luck had it, the door to the shop was unlocked when Sora arrived, and Bira-sensei was in the backroom, working on an alteration. Bira-sensei stayed put this time, as opposed to running out the door as soon as Sora walked in, and she focused on sliding the edge of flared jeans leg through the sewing machine.

"Good morning, sensei," Sora said, setting her purse to the side. "Will you be here all day?"

"I'll be here all week, darling," Bira-sensei replied. "It'll be a nice break for me. Travelling between here and Paris is taking its toll. Can you take the last pie out front?"

Bira-sensei sounded upbeat, but Sora noticed the worn expression on her face as she pulled the jeans from the machine and snipped the loose thread clean. She must have been getting a lot of things done, but not getting enough sleep in the process. It was a feeling Sora knew all too well.

Sora did as she was told, bringing out Mimi's apple pie from the fridge and setting it on the table closest to the cash register. Just like the other pies last week, Sora expected this one to disappear before the sun went down. Customers had already taken interest in putting pies on order, which Sora was uncertain whether Mimi would be okay with at first. But when she sent the question to Mimi via text message, her phone lit up almost immediately with her response, to which Sora could almost hear scream into Izzy's ears:

" _YES I'LL DO IT! I CAN'T WAIT UNTIL WE GET BACK NEXT WEEK!"_

When Sora returned to the back room, Bira-sensei handed the jeans to Sora, who, out of habit, and perhaps even sympathy of the work weighing down on her, handed her the skirt hanging at the front of the rack of alterations.

"It's amazing how you do it, sensei," said Sora, folding the jeans neatly and placing them on the counter. "Travelling to and from Paris every other weekend already seems like a lot. But it seems like your trips have been more frequent, and longer."

"It can take a lot out of you, certainly." Bira-sensei held the skirt from its top and let it flow in front of her. "Twelve-hour flights each way might not seem ideal, but long flights can also make for good, restful sleep if you let it. It can clear your mind to let new ideas and brainstorming flow into you."

Sora took another item of clothing from the stack—a dress that needed to be shortened at the hem line—and wondered to herself if she could handle the travel, if her job ever required it. She had always known that working in fashion required it, and when rising to the caliber of an experienced and well-respected fashion designer like Bira-sensei, travelling between fashion city capitals was likely to happen.

Wherever she ended up in the fashion world, she ideally wanted to be stationed in Tokyo near her friends and family, but she hoped that travelling would be a part of it. The most she ever had to do in her previous jobs was to run around the metropolis of Tokyo. She attended fashion shows with clothes she didn't design herself, but only included her input on the small things, like color and neckline style choices.

"Sora, dear," Bira-sensei said before Sora stepped out of the backroom with the dress. "Thank you for being patient with me."

Sora turned to her. "I... really don't know what I'm being patient for."

Bira-sensei set her skirt down and let out a deep breath. "I know I'm not being completely reliable, and I understand if you want to go our separate ways when you want to."

"Bira-sensei…"

"I truly hope that you don't. Your talent already rivals that of Birahana and CocoLily - I mean, that dress! I would hate not to witness you flourish. Whatever you do, just know that I will always support you, no matter what."

Sora clutched at the fabric of the dress draped on her arm. She had been struggling to find patience with Bira-sensei, and tried not to let Haru's meeting add to the stress. But hearing Bira-sensei's words made her feel overcome with emotion.

Now that Haru wanted to meet with her, perhaps things would change for her. Sora's kimono designs were still under that name, still on top of a desk of the snake that bit with her poisonous venom of betrayal. For weeks, Sora felt like letting it be, let them have their fame and fortune with whatever they did. Running away from the flames was easier than turning back.

Hearing from Kasumi was a wake-up call. Those designs were hers and hers alone, and she did not want Aki or Haru to play any part of showing them to the world. Sora thought to turn around and leave in silence, but remembered she still had something to ask Bira-sensei.

"Would it be any trouble if I took Wednesday off?" Sora asked.

"Of course not," was Bira-sensei's easy reply. Sora admired her patience and relaxed nature, even when she herself might have been going through enough stress, if not even more. "Any special occasion?"

"I'm meeting with Okamoto Haru. She has something of mine that I want returned to me."

Bira-sensei smiled. They had only talked about  _Haru, Inc._  once, before Sora presented her fixed-up wedding dress to Mimi, but her knowing smile showed Sora just how much she was on her side.

"Go get 'em, tiger," Bira-sensei said with a wink, and Sora felt even more confident in running back into the flames.

* * *

Tai sat at the fireplace when Sora arrived that evening. She greeted him with a kiss, and told him to stay where he was, so that she could grab her dinner and eat as she sat next to him. He cooked chow mein, something she remembered that he made really well. When she returned at his side with a plate full of noodles, veggies, and shrimp, she noticed the pensive expression in his eyes that told her that his mind was more than just tired from Monday.

"I've been chatting with my old buddies from uni who might have job leads for me," he said. "One's downtown, and one just outside the city, but they say they're happy. Who wouldn't be, anyway—with better hours, and way better pay?"

"No word from your boss, then?" Sora asked.

"He's quiet on that front, other than saying,  _'We're still in negotiation about that, Taichi. More to come on that soon.'_ "

Sora giggled at the way he deepened his voice in mockery as he said it.

"That is the formal version of exactly what Bira-sensei told me. I can't stand all this waiting."

"Tell me about it. At least there hasn't been any more surprise business trips."

"Don't jinx yourself."

Tai laughed, and so did Sora, as she picked up noodles on her chopsticks to devour. As she cleared her plate, they talked more about their day, updating each other on what their friends told them. Sora told him about Mimi's pie orders, and Tai mentioned that he talked to Joe earlier that evening, who said he was catching up with the workload and was hoping to get more time off soon.

Sora took a few sips of her tea which she set back on the coffee table near them When she was about to get up from her spot to take her plate and chopsticks back to the kitchen, Tai stopped her and set her plate aside, so that he could bring her closer to him to hold in his arms.

"I don't want that plate on the floor like that, Tai," she said.

"I'll take it later."

He kissed her forehead, and she turned her to face him and place her arms around his waist. She looked into his eyes, the light of the dancing flames reflecting only adding to his warmth as they gazed lovingly into hers, but reading his subdued expression even after she kissed his lips, she could tell something was troubling him.

"What else happened today, Tai?" she asked.

"She called me earlier today, Sora. Yuki did."

Sora felt a chill creeping at the back of her neck.

Not that name again.

"She wanted to meet since she was heading back to Beijing at the end of this week," Tai went on to explain.

"Oh…" was all that Sora could reply back. How else could she react to this? Any other reaction would have been worse.

"Obviously, I said 'no,' Sora. There's only one thing she wants. It's not friendship. The thing she wants, I can't give it to her."

Sora looked away, not knowing what to feel. She then felt Tai place his fingers on her chin to gently lift her to meet his eyes again.

"You're worrying again, aren't you?" he asked. "That she'll somehow take me from you. You could not be any more wrong. I love you, and only you."

"I… I know that, Tai." Sora brushed her hand against his cheek. "But I'm not sure why you're holding me so tightly. It's almost as if you're worried, too."

Tai chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure that you weren't going to run off in case this conversation went sour."

Sora had to laugh at that. He made a fair point. The sheer mention of her left a sour taste in her mouth, even when she knew how Tai felt about her. She kissed him again, feeling his palm gentle warm on the back of her neck when he kissed her back. Then, she rested her head on his neck to let him hold her tighter. There were things she couldn't help but worry about, like the fate of her place in her dream career, but feeling the warmth of being in Tai's arms let her remember one thing—that there was no reason for her to run from him, at least, not anymore.

* * *

Sora did her best to try to relax over all day on Tuesday. She went for her jog in the morning and curled up on the couch to read a book before she had to go to work. During the downtime at the boutique, Bira-sensei turned the radio on, the classical music playing at a soft hum while Sora swept the floors, rearranged the accessories stands, or worked on sewing for an alteration. Back at Tai's place, she drank her tea as she leaned on the arm of the couch closest to the fireplace, then took a long bath in the evening, before settling in next to Tai when she fell asleep.

On Wednesday morning, she was already awake the moment Tai's phone alarm rang. She stared at the ceiling, resting against her back when she felt him reach for his phone to silence it. Then, she felt him turn again, his arm falling just below her chest, only for him to lay still again.

Sora turned her head to see his eyes closed as he comfortably returned to slumber.

"You do know that snoozing makes you feel even sleepier when you do it," she said softly, knowing that he heard her voice by the twitch of his crinkling brows. Tai certainly had those rare mornings in which he begrudgingly accepted his responsibility to wake and get out of bed at the first sound. Obviously, this wasn't one of those mornings.

Her normal method of waking him up was to keep talking to him with her reasoning. Otherwise, she would just watch him until he decided to open his eyes, if not after the second or third time his alarm went off.

This time, she knew he was going to open his eyes from the moment she moved closer to him, burying her face in his chest.

"How long have you been awake, Sora?" he asked, his hand patting the top of her head.

"About an hour."

"You know… lack of sleep doesn't help sleepiness throughout the day, either."

She responded in silence at his teasing remark. He rolled out of bed soon after, but his long kiss on top of her head beforehand told her he understood why she was awake so early.

Sora tried to close her eyes while he got ready for work, but she opened her eyes only after a few minutes. She was too distracted by the thought of going downtown later that day, and it ruined the normally calming ambience of listening to the water running in the bathroom. Feeling helpless, she got out of bed, taking the comforter wrapped around her, and headed downstairs to the fireplace, which had been burning the night before. She lit it up again before taking her place on the side of the couch to stare at it.

"That bad, huh?" Tai asked, walking down the stairs with his hands adjusting the tie around his neck. He sat next to her on the couch, and she got a whiff of the cologne freshly spritzed on, his hair styled the way it normally was, and the tie perfectly straight.

"I know that I'm ready," said Sora. "I'm just dreading it."

"You'll knock em dead," said Tai, placing his hands on top of the comforter where her shoulders were. "I'd want to be there to knock them out if I could."

"Tai." She gave him a stern look. "I'd stop you before you did it."

He narrowed his eyes. "Give me one good reason why you would."

"Because I'd want to do it first."

"I'll accept that," he said, tilting his head back.

Sora laughed and Tai smiled at her, but his stare lingered as though he had more to say.

"Listen, Sora," he continued. "I know you said you never wanted to set foot downtown again, yet here you are, about to go. What you're doing is brave, and I'm proud of you. Just remember if anything happens, if anything goes wrong, I'm only a few buildings away."

"Three buildings and twenty-five floors up," she said, looking up at him. "How could I forget?"

"Let me know how it goes."

He gave her a kiss before he put on his dress shoes and coat, leaving Sora alone in the living room. Finally, she accepted her surroundings, the fire softly crackling nearby, the window brightening as the sun slowly rose in the sky outside, but her mind calm enough to catch up on sleep.

A few hours later, she got up dressed into a blouse and pencil skirt. She was so used to dressing casually at the boutique, whether it was from her own closet or boutique clothing that Bira-sensei let her take home from. It had been a while since she dressed so formally.

Try as she might, stepping onto the train and seeing the flood of supportive text messages from her friends made Sora feel as though she was reliving the day of the presentation. It was the day she had hoped to get a promotion and be one step closer to becoming a fashion designer, but also the day that she arrived at her desk, finding her drawer unlocked and her portfolio missing.

Sora got off of the train and ignored the shouting at the magazine stand that she passed by, just as she thought back to throwing a punch at Aki before she quit and stormed out of the building.

It was the same building she was walking toward. The sun shone brightly with not a cloud in the sky, but the air grew colder the closer she approached.

It was the kind of cold she felt ready to handle.

Sora approached the receptionist at the front lobby to wait for her escort. A few minutes later, she was greeted by a young woman, in business attire similar to Sora's. She led Sora to the elevator and pushed the button to the same floor she used to work in. She took a deep breath once the elevator bell sounded, and followed her escort into the hallway, feeling her heartbeat pick up its pace. Dread filled her as they approached the conference room where she last presented, and the escort slowed until they stopped right in front of it.

"Miss Haru will see you now," said the escort.

_It's now or never._

Sora handed her jacket, scarf, and purse to the escort, and entered the conference room, holding her breath as she observed who was looking back at her as she walked it.

It was as though they intended to replay that day for her. Sitting next to Haru-sensei, with her short hair fluffy but styled to perfection, was Sora's former boss, Dora-senpai, still with an unreadable expression. Shiro-san was there, too, not smiling like he had been at first back then, but with a serious face that matched expressions from the other two.

Sora shifted her eyes left and right. There were no easels or poster boards—just a chair in the center of the room facing the long table where the three of the 'judges' sat. A number of scenarios sprung into her head when she sat down in the chair, but as she stared back, she felt ready to take on whatever they decided to throw at her.

"Thank you for allowing us to meet with you today, Takenouchi," began Dora-senpai.

"I appreciate your time, senpai," Sora replied, her hands calmly folded over her lap.

"I would like to cut to the chase. We all know that this is not a job interview."

Sora remained silent, noting that this was one of the scenarios that ran in her head. Surely, as she would agree on her part, she was sure their meeting was meant for a discussion of some sort. And apology on their behalf, which she might have hoped, but something that would leave both sides on good terms with each other.

"In fact," Dore-senpai continued, "this is a job offer."

Out of all the scenarios Sora thought of, somehow, this wasn't one of them. Sora sat in her chair, dumbfounded.

"A… a job offer?" she repeated.

"You heard that correctly. We are willing to reinstate your position effective today. The three of us were very impressed with the transformation of the CocoLily bridal dress. Your work on that was exceptional and unmatched, just as the quality of your designs have been when you were here last—and, yes, I am including the kimono designs."

"You mean,  _my_ kimono designs?"

"That's right."

Sora held her breath.

"So, then, Aki…"

"Aki no longer works for this company."

Sora held her stare among the three, but tried to process everything that Dora-senpai just mentioned. She had to assume that Aki must have been terminated from the company once it was discovered that the designs didn't belong to her. Yet, Sora found it strange that she wasn't told about this at all.

"How long has she been gone?" Sora asked.

"Just over five weeks," Dora-senpai replied.

Sora's eyes flashed. One week after her dreams were crushed, and they didn't tell her a word. Something began to bubble within her, but she tried to remain calm.

"I would have preferred if you told me about this sooner," was the best Sora found herself to say in response.

"Surely," said Dora-senpai. "However, in your experience working for this company and in this industry, you should realize how fast things move and how quickly decisions need to be made. Some things unfortunately get lost in the midst, and we have to catch it when it appears once again, before the opportunity is lost again. And our meeting today, Sora, is that opportunity."

Sora knew about this kind of opportunity. It was an opportunity that could potentially change the course of one's goals and dreams, one that she would regret if she let it pass her by. She'd be lucky if she were to come across that opportunity again in her lifetime.

But in this case, this 'lost opportunity' was utter bullshit.

Sora stood up and bent forward to take a bow. "I appreciate your time meeting with me, but must decline your offer."

There was finally some movement in front of her. Shiro-san glanced at Haru in surprise, and Dora-senpai's brows raised, her shock visible.

"We are offering your job back with a promotion, and you will take the place of Aki's spot on the creative team. Are you sure you want to decline this?"

"I am positive, Dora-senpai," said Sora standing up straight. "While I've learned a lot working for this company, I don't think returning will end up being the right fit for me and my career goals."

Dora-senpai scoffed. "You are willing to give up a position of prestige, one that many others have been attempting, but failing to achieve? Some have to work  _years_ before getting to where we are putting you now. I expected much more from you today, Sora."

Exactly what she said the last time.

"To be honest, I expected more from you," Sora said suddenly, placing her hands on either side of her, to which Dora-senpai's eyes flashed in return.

"I beg your pardon?"

Sora breathed in, closing her fists on her sides.

"I won't deny that anything you said wasn't true, Dora-senpai. Being promoted to a spot on that creative team was one of my dreams at the time, and I put in a lot of work and effort into this job. I said that I've learned a lot, and that included the fact that I can be tossed to the side and trampled on at the drop of a hat, regardless of that work and that effort. I  _deserved_ that spot.  _I earned it_. But after what happened, I don't want to be 'put' into it, especially not like this."

"Well said, Sora-chan."

Sora turned to Haru-sensei in surprise.

"Okamoto-san—" Dora-senpai began, but Haru-sensei held her hand up to stop her from speaking.

"We shouldn't talk to her as if though it was her fault this all happened, Dora-san. She was one of the best on our team. Even you have said good things about her well before that day happened."

Dora-senpai's expression returned to its non-expressive manner, although Sora could tell that she was stumped on how to respond to Haru-sensei's words, which were sharp in tone even with her soft voice.

"Sora-chan," said Haru-sensei. "We made a mistake in not seeing through Aki's actions. This is not what I want my brand to stand for. We took everything at face value and lost one of our most valuable designers in the process. For that, I am truly sorry.  _We_ are truly sorry."

Sora held her ground, although she felt a stinging of tears behind her eyes with the relief of finally hearing an apology.

"Thank you," said Sora, not caring that her voice let out a crack. "It means a lot, especially coming from you."

Then, Haru-sensei turned to Dora-senpai, shooting her a look. "Regardless of having no tact, Dora-san was telling you the truth. We would be grateful to have your talents back in our company. Not only do I want you to be a part of that creative team, but I am willing to make you in charge of it."

"Haru-sensei…"

Sora stood there, now lowering her stare to the long table where the three of them sat. Since Haru-sensei's speech, she was starting to consider coming back to work at  _Haru, Inc._ Sure, Dora-senpai had her opinions, but mistakes can happen, and it's one thing for the head designer to acknowledge her mistake and hold everyone accountable, but…

As her eyes stopped at the leather-bound folder in front of Shiro-san, Sora knew one more question needed to be answered before she made her decision.

"Please answer me honestly," said Sora. "If you meeting with me—this opportunity—if it was lost the second time, would you still have launched a special collection next fall?"

Haru-sensei looked to Dora-senpai and Shiro-san, the three of them giving each other knowing looks.

"Nothing would have stopped us, Sora-chan," said Haru-sensei.

There was no way she could have fought back for her designs the first time, but if she didn't fight as she stood in front of them then, then it only would have been something she would have regretted for the rest of her life.

Sora walked up toward Shiro-san, taking the leather-bound folder, staring at it as though it was a long-lost treasure. Then, she opened it, finding the pages and fabric samples, her drawings, her designs—all that were her own.

"What are you doing?" Dora-senpai asked, and Sora chuckled.

"Stopping a 'lost opportunity' from happening," she replied, closing the portfolio and hugging it to her chest. "Needless to say, there will be no special collection in the fall. At least, not for you, anyway. And I am still going to decline your offer." Sora bowed one more time. "I appreciate your time."

As she turned around to walk toward the door, Dora-senpai called to her.

"You do realize when Haru says, 'nothing' will stop us, she  _means_  nothing, young lady."

Sora stopped and turned to her, unfazed by her threat. "You've brought me down before. I'd love to see you try again. Oh, I can't wait to tell Bira-sensei…"

What surprised Sora next was watching the three faces turn pale after she spoke.

"Did you just say, _'Bira-sensei'_?" Haru asked with a gasp.

"As in,  _'Birahana'_ …." said Dora-senpai.

"Th… There's only one 'Bira'-" began Shiro-san, who was cut off by Dora-senpai.

"Of  _course_ it's the one she's talking about!"

Sora watched the two of them bicker as Haru sat to the side, staring down at the table in wide-eyed apprehension. At this point, Sora realized that this 'nothing' no longer had relevance, and to them, she had nothing more to say.

She headed towards the door, her portfolio clutched against her chest, feeling as though that missing part of her had finally returned to her. Then, after she took back her other things to bundle up for the chilly weather outside, she walked out of this building smiling ear-to-ear, with her next destination being three buildings down and twenty-five floors up, where she couldn't wait to tell Tai the good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated the total chapter count. That's the current estimate. Well see.
> 
> 'Til next chapter.
> 
> Stay warm. <3


	29. [googly-eyed]

When Sora stepped out of the elevator in Tai's building, she heard a loud smack of papers dropping onto the top of a desk. From the reception desk, the familiar young woman wearing her hair in a neat bun jumped up from her chair in astonishment.

"Ma'am?" she said, adjusting the glasses on her face, and straightened her skirt. "I mean… Miss! Miss Ta… Ta..ke…"

"Sora," Sora said. "It's okay if you call me that."

The young woman frowned. "Yagami-san is trying to break my formalities and telling me to call him 'Tai'. It's hard when I see  _his_ boss come in and I get criticized for bad office etiquette."

There were some things noticeably different about Tai's assistant compared to the first time Sora met her a few months ago. The glasses were one thing, but the other was her different demeanor to Sora. She seemed to be under stress but at the same time, more comfortable in her position.

"Is he busy?" Sora asked.

"I think he just got out of a conference call." The assistant sat down and picked up the receiver of her phone. "Yagami-san, someone's here to see you." For a moment, she listened intently as though she waited for him to answer, but that was when she laughed. "What do you mean, 'a lost cat'?"

A smile formed on Sora's lips. He had already been waiting for her to enter his office.

"You got it," said the assistant, then she placed the phone back and got up from her desk, turning to Sora, appearing confused. "Follow me. He told me to tell you that 'Inu awaits'...?"

 _Stupid Tai._ Sora followed the assistant, her grin growing wider but she decided to suppress it as she walked down the hallway, with the portfolio held with her hands behind her back.

By the time the assistant opened the door to Tai's office for her to enter, Sora pressed her lips together as she made her way in, no longer wearing a smile.

" _Neko…"_  he said with a smile, but that slowly faded as he began to study her face when he approached her. They met face-to-face between his desk and the door, and she could tell he was anxious as he tried to figure out whether he should be happy or worried. "How did it go?" he asked in a softer tone.

That was when took her hands out from behind her, revealing her portfolio that she held up for him to see.

"My designs, Tai. My portfolio…" she said, her smile returning to her lips. "I got it all back!"

"YES!" Tai shouted, then he grabbed Sora by the waist and picked her up, catching her by surprise. She threw her arms around him just in time as he whirled her around, both of them laughing. As he set her down, his bright gaze fixed on her, she kept him close as she moved to kiss his lips. He kissed back fervently, both of them feeding off of each other's excitement.

Sora parted her lips from his, only for Tai to sneak in another kiss which was gentle but full of passion. She couldn't keep her stare away from him when he pulled away, and she had forgotten where she was until she heard a giggle.

Both she and Tai turned their heads to the door, seeing that it was still open with Tai's assistant watching them with her hand covering her mouth. Sora felt the heat rush onto her cheeks.

"Back to work, you," Tai commanded, though Sora could hear the playfulness in his voice.

"Will do,  _Tai_ ," the assistant said, and Tai gasped when she turned around and closed the door behind her.

"Did you hear that, Sora?" he said, laughing.

"You must be so proud," she replied.

"She's not the only one that I'm proud of." He held his palm against her cheek, staring at her in earnest. "I knew you had it in you."

"I can't believe it happened, Tai. So much happened in that room. I turned down their job offer. I was lucky to get my designs back. If I didn't call Kasumi back… If this never happened…"

Her voice trailed off as the sting of tears filled her eyes, the pressure from the meeting blurring with the memories of the presentation in the past. She had been holding her overwhelming thoughts all day, and as she ran through them again in front of Tai, the tears couldn't stop streaming.

"Hey, it's okay," Tai said gently, holding her as he reached behind his back pocket and held out a handkerchief. She took it from him, crying into it with one hand, her other hand still clutching onto her portfolio.

Tai stood there, gently rubbing her back as she told him everything that happened during the meeting. Sora cried for a while, but being held in the warmth of Tai's arms gave her a calming effect more than he, or even she ever realized. At the last sniffle, she wiped her eyes with his handkerchief, and he ran his thumb on her cheek to wipe away any last tears.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

"I am," she replied. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be." He kissed her forehead and held her closer, making her feel more at peace.

When they pulled apart, Tai brushed his hand on her cheek once again, moving her hair to the side.

"You must be wearing the waterproof makeup today," he added. "I'm not seeing makeup smudges anywhere."

"Well, I had to be prepared, you know." Sora gave him a soft smile, to which he smiled back.

"Listen, why don't we go somewhere to celebrate? I'll just head out early for the day."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"I'm positive, Sora. Anything can wait until tomorrow. Especially if it's for you."

Tai grinned, and Sora chuckled at his sweet suggestion. She took both of his hands to hold.

"Okay, then, 'Boss'. Did you have somewhere in mind?"

"Hmm, well. It's not as cold as it's been lately. Why not Inokashira Park?"

Sora beamed at the thought.

"Let's go."

* * *

_Tai had always made good suggestions when it came to spending time together, which Sora found out during the first few months they started dating. It was around that time when he first suggested taking her to Inokashira Park, to which her initial reaction was a hard 'no'._

" _I'm telling you, Sora, it's not that bad going there in the fall," he had argued back then. "We can have a nice boat ride in the pond and enjoy the scenery. I think you'll like it."_

" _I'm not sure I can trust being alone in a boat with you, Tai," Sora retorted, crossing her arms._

" _It's not like I'm going to try to tip us over or anything! But thanks for the idea - It was a joke," he added as Sora shot him a glare. "Plus, if it actually does get cold for you, you'll have me to keep you warm, right?"_

" _Is that how you'll win me over?"_

" _At least give me points for trying."_

_But when they had gotten to the park in the late afternoon, just before the sun went down, she couldn't stop staring at the trees, with the brightly colored leaves of yellow, red, and orange in the branches floating above them._

" _Uhh, Sora?"_

" _Hmm?" Sora had looked back at Tai sitting across from her in their boat, and his look of confusion changed when he smirked._

" _I should have realized how distracted you were. You didn't say anything at all when I mentioned how Team Spain was the worst team ever."_

" _Oh… right - I mean, wrong. You are completely wrong about that, Tai!"_

 _He gave her a smug smile. "So, this makes me right about three things: One, we're about to get out of this boat together, and I have not, and will not, plan to do a thing, meaning you_ can  _trust me in a boat. Two, it really isn't that bad, is it?"_

_Tai got out of the boat first when they returned to the dock, and he held out his hand for Sora to hold as she stepped onto the dock with him. Then, she sighed._

" _Alright. You're right. It's actually not that bad," she said._

" _So, does this mean you like autumn, now?"_

" _Hell no." Sora crossed her arms, recognizing the chilly breeze as the sun lowered in the sky. "But, I'll have to admit, the colors of the leaves are beautiful."_

" _I'm glad you enjoyed this." Tai unzipped his sweater and placed it around Sora's frame. "I'm getting hungry. Does ginger pork sound good?"_

" _It sounds amazing!"_

" _Then, shall we?"_

_Sora nodded, and they both smiled at each other as Tai took her hand when they walked together. It was one of the things she always liked about Tai, that he encouraged her to find the bright side of things where she least expected it. He didn't mention the third thing, but he didn't have to - he was already winning her over._

* * *

"Well, this doesn't look promising," said Tai when Sora walked with him onto the steps outside of his work building. The sky was no longer a bright blue and had turned into a dark grey.

"I thought it was odd looking out the window from your floor," said Sora. "I didn't even bring an umbrella."

"Let's hope for the best." Tai took her hand, and together they headed toward the train station. It only got worse as the wind never let up, and they were one crosswalk away from the entrance when they started to feel heavy drops on their heads.

Sora looked to him, just as the stoplight prepared to turn green, and he grinned.

"Ready?" he said, the raindrops falling more quickly.

"Ready!"

Together, they broke into a run as the light signaled them to cross. The crowd was denser as they approached the station, but Tai led the way, still holding her hand tightly, and they weaved through the crowd together. When they made it inside in the open space that led to the walkways, they stopped to catch their breaths. Tai put his hand on Sora's shoulder for support.

"You okay?" he said through his panting, and she nodded in return. Her outfit beneath her thick jacket was safe, though her hair felt a little damp. She looked over to Tai, whose hair was still sticking up the way it was supposed to, but she saw droplets of water all over it.

"At least it wasn't raining too hard to ruin your hair," she said with a giggle as she ran her fingers along his hair. "Or your ego."

Tai laughed. "Maybe my hair gel is waterproof, too."

Sora couldn't stop laughing. She had missed these moments with him, where he would say something silly to make her laugh, and it worked every time. Even after a rough afternoon, and despite being rained on, she couldn't imagine anyone else that could brighten her day.

Their laughter was interrupted as Sora heard a small crash, and the sound of shouting reached her ears. Sora turned her head in that direction, and, at the same time, Tai nudged her shoulder.

"Hey, Sora, we should head to the train…" he began, but her eyes remained on the magazine stand where a few people started to gather.  _Wasn't it the same stand from earlier that day…?_

She saw a man next to the carousel of magazines that had just toppled over, and he had a magazine clutched in his hand as he yelled angrily at the clerk at the stand, a tall female, with long dark hair, and-

Sora drew in a slow breath as she recognized the clerk who yelled back at the man. Her hair draped over her neck, flat without its curls, and the lavender tips were gone.

_Aki…_

Back and forth, Aki and the man yelled over each other, until the man finally threw a fistful of coins at her in his agitated growl. As he walked away, still shouting profanities, Aki cursed aloud, then lowered to the ground to pick up the coins. A few bystanders in the crowd attempted to approach her to help, but Aki only hissed at them to stay back.

_So, this was where she ended up…_

"Sora," said Tai again, his hand now on her elbow. He must have said her name loud enough, because Aki had looked up from the ground, her eyes meeting Sora's in a menacing stare.

There were no words left for Sora to tell Aki. She only stared her down, lifting up her portfolio tucked underneath her arm.

"Okay, Tai," she said as she finally responded to him, using her free hand to hold his tightly as they walked away.

The walk to the train was silent between the two of them, but once they got onto the train, Tai started talking.

"She hasn't been there for very long," he said as the train began to move. "I had to do a double take when I passed her on Monday morning. Before that, it was an older guy, probably in his 40s. You probably remember who I'm talking about."

Sora did remember that man. She passed him all the time when she used to work at  _Haru, Inc._ , but he was a quiet man who kept to himself, only making conversation whenever he was tending to a customer.

But today, she saw Aki had taken his place. How she ended up there was beyond Sora's line of thinking, but at that point, all Sora knew was that karma reared its ugly head at Aki, and that she could no longer stand in Sora's way as long as she was concerned.

"I was thinking about talking to her," said Tai.

"Don't," Sora said. "There's no reason to."

Tai didn't reply back, but when Sora turned to look at him, she could tell he was still thinking otherwise.

The train stopped and the doors opened. Sora didn't catch the street name, but Tai got up and motioned her to get up as well. That was when a new question popped into her head.

"Where are we going, anyway?" she asked, and Tai shrugged.

"Plan B, I guess," he replied, taking Sora's hand again. Wherever he was taking her, she hoped they didn't have to stay in the rain for too long.

* * *

"Hmm, what to choose."

Sora watched Tai as he leaned over to the shelves next to the TV, dressed down with his dress shirt unbuttoned at the collar and his sleeves rolled up. He was taking longer than she felt he needed to be.

"Is it really taking that long to choose a movie?" Sora asked impatiently from the couch, already comfortably leaning against the side closest to the fireplace, which had been crackling for a while.

"How am I supposed to know what Mimi and Izzy own on Blu-Ray? Besides,  _someone's_ picky with her movies."

"I told you, I didn't mind whatever you chose, as long as-"

"It didn't make you feel cold, I know."

Tai continued to scour through the shelf and Sora rolled her eyes as she rested her head onto the armrest, staring at the flames licking the logs. She wouldn't have minded just staring at that all night, but this time with Tai was meant to be for celebration.

'Plan B', as it turned out, was hanging out at Mimi and Izzy's house. It was part of Tai's plan to go there after Inokashira Park, anyway. He noticed that Sora hadn't mentioned anything about checking the house lately; that, and he didn't have any other ideas for a cold, rainy evening other than staying in.

They had thought about making dinner together, but decided on takeout sushi instead. Sora figured that Mimi would find out instantly if someone else had touched any of her pots and pans.

"How does  _Captain America_  sound?" Tai asked, holding up the movie case.

Sora squinted her eyes from where she sat, then she frowned. " _Winter Soldier?_  Really, Tai?"

"It's the sequel to the first one! I remember you liked it."

"Choose something else."

Tai groaned, then he turned around to put it back, then traced his fingers on the boxes in the row underneath. "What about these movies?  _The Holiday? Love Actually?"_

Sora stared at him. "You do realize those are holiday movies?"

" _Sleepless in Seattle... Serendipity…"_

"Why are you stuck on the romantic comedies?"

Tai turned to her. "I know Mimi forced at least two of these movies on you whenever she came over at uni. You can't tell me that you didn't at least enjoy them."

"They were fine," Sora said, which was the most she would admit as she looked back at the fire. She didn't want to admit the fact that she was a sucker for all of those movies he mentioned, even if Mimi forced her against her will to watch.

"A-ha! I think I found the perfect movie," Tai said, and Sora turned her head to him and away from the fire. He held the case up for her to look at.

" _Wonder Woman?"_  she read aloud, turning the case over to read the synopsis.

"I think you'll love it."

"Showing me the case for it and everything…"

"I'm serious. I think you'll love her."

"Okay, then." She handed the case back to Tai, studying his smile and his eyes, which furrowed when he noticed her watching him.

"What is it?"

"I feel like there's a prank hidden in here somewhere…"

"Come on, Sora." Tai opened the case to reveal the movie disc, which showed the matching movie logo on it. "I'm not going to slip a movie like  _Frozen_ into the player for fun without you knowing. But, you know, I did see that movie on the shelf. You fell asleep the last time we watched it. If you really wanted to watch that instead-"

" _Alright._  Let's watch  _Wonder Woman_."

As the movie played, Sora took the blanket on the couch to wrap herself with. Tai never wanted to ask to share, because he knew she was going to hog it for herself anyway, but he still put his arm around her while she comfortably leaned against him.

When Tai wasn't joking around with her, Sora ended up really liking the movies he recommended to her, and this movie was no exception. Her eyes remained glued to the screen as she was captured by the sheer strength and skill of the main character, Diana, and she was enjoying every moment of the story.

"Oh - oops-" she heard Tai say. "I forgot about this part."

Sora ignored him and watched intently at the part where Steve, the leading male character, asked Diana to dance. And then, as they danced, the snow fell.

She never admitted it to anyone, not even to Mimi, but it was one thing she found her heart melting at in romance movies whenever two people shared a moment under the falling snow. It was that, and whenever a character raced against time toward the person they loved the most.

She never admitted it, but Tai might have noticed at that point, especially when she heard his mischievous laughter as he held his hand over her eyes.

"Tai!" she said, grabbing his hand and holding it down in front of her to keep him from trying again.

She continued to watch as the characters dance under the snow together. She snuggled herself closer to Tai as the characters eventually kissed, and she kept a silly thought in her head that she wouldn't mind dancing with Tai underneath the snow, no matter how cold it got.

As the credits began to roll, after being enthralled by the action sequences and finally seeing Wonder Woman come into her own, Sora turned her head to Tai, her mouth open in amazement.

"I loved that," she said.

"Told ya," he said with a grin. "I thought you'd want to turn it off after that one scene, though."

Sora made a face then. "Come on, Tai, it was barely snowing. It wasn't that bad."

Tai paused as his grin disappeared. He stared at her long and hard, and she held her stare back.

" _Wow._  I'm not sure if my ears are working now, if I heard that right. So, this must mean you like snow. You like the cold."

Sora raised her brow, noticing the corners of his lips slightly twitching. "That's  _not_ what I said or what I meant."

"But, that's what I saw when you were watching, I swear. I've never seen you so googly-eyed at  _snow."_

"You are out of your mind."

"Me? I'm not the one who turns her nose up at  _'Winter Soldier'_  but turns around and says the snow ' _wasn't that bad'."_

They continued to play on with serious faces as they bantered in circles, and Sora knew they were both waiting to see who would crack a smile first. Eventually, she couldn't hold in her giggles any longer. She was the first to break, but she leaned forward to kiss him before he could even begin to gloat.

"Hey-" he said, barely getting a word out between her long kisses. It amused her at how frustrated he must have been, wanting to talk but getting caught in kissing her back. She giggled at the touch of his lips on hers as he accepted defeat, and the blanket slipped off from her shoulders as her hands moved around his shirt collar to the back of his neck, her fingers sliding up into his hair.

"Not…fair…" she heard him mumble as he snaked his hands around her back, but his deepening kisses told her otherwise. As she joined her lips with his, her body pressed onto him as the temperature rose, she wanted to prove to him then that she would rather have heat with him above all else.

She broke off the kiss, only to move to adjust herself onto his lap. His brown eyes mesmerized her as he gave her a smirk, and her pounding heart might have skipped a beat. She traced her fingers down the side of his cheek, then past his neck where she was enticed to kiss while she began to unbutton the rest of his shirt.

Her lips trailed his neck, and as she felt his hands move along her hips and hearing the soft hum of his laughter, she couldn't resist another giggle. In that moment, it was just her and Tai alone, with the gentle sizzling of the fire beside them - a near perfect moment for Sora, who was almost ready to give him more.

Almost. Sora stopped her hand at the last button of Tai's shirt. Had she not listened to the nagging feeling that suddenly popped into her mind, she would have kept going.

"What's wrong?" Tai asked curiously.

"We can't do this here…" she said.

"What do you mean?—Oh…" Tai took in a slow breath as though he caught on to the same realization.

Sora leaned forward, her forehead meeting his, bursting into laughter.

"Mimi would have killed us," she said, and Tai joined in with her.

"I don't think Izzy would have been too happy, either," he said. "I think we would have to flee the country if we messed anything up here."

"Where would we go?" Sora sat up to look into his eyes.

"Hmm. Somewhere you can tolerate."

_Anywhere, as long as it's with you._

"...Sora?" Tai said as he looked at her with confusion.

Why she was embarrassed to say it, she wasn't sure, but she laughed it off, drawing near him for her lips to meet his once again.

"I love you," she said, staring deep into his eyes. "Thank you for today."

"I love you, too. I'm sorry we couldn't go anywhere besides here."

_Anywhere with you, I always feel like… like I'm…_

"Should we go home tonight?" Tai asked her then. "Or, should we stay here?"

"Let's stay here. The fireplace is already going, anyway."

There went another thing she wasn't ready to say.

They both got up from the couch, with Tai stretching in his spot and Sora walking to the dining table where she set her phone. She figured that she and Tai would use the extra clothes that Mimi left in the guest bedroom, but she knew they were going to sleep on the couch next to the fire, no questions asked.

When Sora picked up her phone to catch up on messages, sure enough, she found it was filled with congratulatory messages. Reading through the words sent from her friends and even her parents brought a smile to her face.

"How cute!" Sora said at the picture Mimi sent her, and walked over to Tai to show him. "Mimi and Izzy took a selfie at the beach."

"They look like they've been enjoying themselves," said Tai.

Then, Sora had an idea. She held her phone in front of her with the camera open, fixing her hair before she called on Tai to join her.

"Look here, Tai," she said.

"Hmm? Oh!" Tai quickly threw his arms around her, flashing a smile as though he had been ready the whole time.

"Stupid Tai."

Sora smiled with him as he held her, their faces cheek to cheek. She took the picture and hit send.

"By the way," Sora added. "You might have seen the group text, but Mimi's planning dinner for next Friday. She's calling it a celebration for me."

"I like it," said Tai, before looking back at his phone. "Now, let's see what messages I got. That… not important. Ignoring that one."

Sora looked to him, about to ask what happened, when she noticed him pausing as he blinked at his phone, both of his eyebrows raised.

"Wow," he said. "Davis wants to propose at next week's dinner."

Sora gasped. "Does that mean that Kari's…?"

"Yeah. My little sister's getting engaged."

She looked at Tai's wave of emotions on his face just then, and she could tell he was happy, shocked, maybe even nervous, too. He might not have known how to answer her if she asked how he was really feeling.

Tai was silent from that point on, from the moment they washed up and changed into Mimi's guest pajamas, then falling back on the couch with extra blankets. Sora began to wonder then, if his little sister's engagement wasn't the only thing he was thinking about. She was still afraid to bring it up, but as she lay her head on the armrest and pillow with him cuddling her from behind, she had a feeling that he was just as afraid.

She rolled around to face him and brought his lips to hers one last time that night, soft but with enough intensity to bring him out of his funk.

"Davis had that ring for a while, right?" said Sora. "He even asked you to hold it for him. He was just waiting for the right time to propose."

"You're right about that," said Tai, appearing uncertain on why she mentioned him.

"It's going to be a surprise for Kari, but I'm sure she already knows just how much they love each other. She'll be ready whenever he is, and that's what matters the most."

Sora rolled back around. She couldn't tell then whether he caught on what she was trying to say, but she felt his body relax beside her, and he moved to kiss her cheek.

"I'm sure she will be," he replied, and Sora smiled as his fingers laced with hers, feeling the warmth of his response as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That ain't the last you'll see of dear Aki. Not if Tai (the best person on earth, according to some people, lol) can help it. Another of Tai's POV coming your way soon.
> 
> There were two scenes I meant to end this chapter with, but, you know, fluff happens. Not only that, but I couldn't carry the rest of the fic in my arms, so... a lot of hints ended up dropping in this chapter.
> 
> Yeah. I've been called evil ;)  
> That being said, shoutout to Veera_Kara for the lovely comments!!
> 
> Thank you all for the kudos, and, most importantly, thank you all for reading. xoxo
> 
> Stay warm <3


	30. [goodbye]

As Thursday morning came, Sora realized that going back to Tai's place the night before might have been a better idea, especially for Tai.

Neither of them thought about Tai needing to get ready for work, so it only made him grumpier when his alarm woke them up that morning. Thankfully, calling a taxi saved him some time, as opposed to riding the train.

"Hey, Mimi responded from last night," Sora said with a yawn on the taxi ride back. With a sleepy blink, Tai leaned over to her to read Mimi's message.

" _Are you two hanging out at my house? Why is Tai's shirt like that? Better not be fooling around! ;P"_

It was enough for Tai to laugh aloud, but Sora felt the heat rush onto her cheeks once she read that and buried her face into Tai's chest.

When she returned to Tai's house, Sora caught up on sleep before her shift. She thought it was odd that Bira-sensei didn't reply to her text message from the day before, but as she entered the boutique that afternoon, Bira-sensei appeared from the back, running up to Sora and giving her a tight squeeze.

"I knew you could do it, ooh, my little 'Wonder Woman!'" Bira-sensei said excitedly, and she stepped back a little as she lifted her fingers to her eyes. "I'm so proud of you for standing up to them!"

"Bira-sensei…" Sora said with a smile, feeling her own eyes misting.

"Oh, just you wait, Sora. There's more great things coming your way."

"You think so?"

"I  _know_ so."

Bira-sensei joyfully clapped her hands together, turning around and walking back into the back room.

_What in the world did she mean by that?_

Sora walked toward the back, feeling the questions rise in her head. Based on Bira-sensei's excitement, it must have been really good news - perhaps it was what she had been keeping from her for so long.

"Ah! Sora, while you're back here, can you fix up that skirt for me? This dress is taking longer than I expected."

As Sora picked up the skirt and draped it on her arm, one question lingered in her mind that had been wondering about since she left  _Haru, Inc_. yesterday.

"Sensei, why is Haru afraid of you?" she asked.

Bira-sensei stopped and looked up, and Sora went on to explain.

"I mentioned your name, and everyone in the room sort of panicked."

For a few moments, Bira-sensei stared at Sora in disbelief, leaving her confused. Then, Bira-sensei burst into laughter.

"If only I was there to see Haru's face!"

Sora tilted her head, extremely curious by Bira-sensei's reaction.

"She was terrified, Sensei."

When Bira-sensei caught her breath from her laughter, a smile still remained on her face when she began to explain.

"Haru and I both came onto the fashion scene about the same time. We were both praised by our work equally, although, her designs just got more attention. At one point in time, we were very supportive of each other. We were almost like friends."

"So, what happened to change that?"

Bira-sensei laughed again. "Let's just say that, no matter how hard anyone tries, they're always going to get caught with their hand in the cookie jar.  _Always_. Even if it is a quickly rising fashion designer like Haru. And there is no room for anyone stealing cookies in this industry. Especially when they're mine."

Sora left it at that. There was a smile on Bira-sensei's face, but Sora noticed a sense of triumph in that smile. In a way, she felt that Bira-sensei knew exactly what she had just gone through.

* * *

The rest of Sora's work week flew by, with working all of Friday and closing the boutique early on Saturday while Bira-sensei was out on another trip to Paris.

Before heading back to Tai's house, she thought it would be a good time to stop somewhere for a latte. The rain had stopped from earlier that day, but the ground was still damp, and the sky looked as though there was more rain ready to fall. Sora didn't feel as cold as she usually felt this time of year, but she figured she needed her favorite warm drink to be able to tolerate it much better.

It also gave her a chance to check on a friend she hadn't heard from in a while, save for the  _"congrats"_  text he sent her a few days back. She wasn't surprised to find him sitting in a booth in the cafe, with his own cup of coffee at his side, along with his notebook and books sprawled on his side of the table.

What surprised her, however, was the fact that he was joined by Davis, who sat across the booth from him. There was no hostility between the two boys, and it looked as though they were laughing about something together.

Before Sora could process the scene in front of her, Davis caught her eye, and immediately smiled and waved her down.

"Sora!" Davis got up as she approached to give her a tight hug.

"Hey, Davis!" Sora hugged him back, her mind racing with questions. But when she turned to TK, who now stood next to her with a gentle smile, she felt a tug at her heart as she pulled him into a tight embrace.

"How are you, TK?" she asked him.

"I'm doing okay," he replied, and his smile was enough for her to believe him.

"I guess I should head out now," Davis said, turning to the door where Kari smiled and waved at the other side. "Kari wants to pick something up at the store, then we're supposed to head to Tai's place, so that I can check on you-know-what."

Sora knew exactly what he meant. Tai had told her earlier in the day that Davis was going to swing by to check on his special item for Kari, but he wondered about how Davis would do it with Kari coming along with him.

"See you later," Sora said.

"See ya, Sora," said Davis, then turned to TK to pat his shoulder. "Later, TQ."

Sora felt happy at the sight of Davis and TK getting along for once, but she had to stare at Davis as he walked away cheerfully around the corner and out the door to Kari. She turned to TK with a look of confusion.

"Does he still not know your name?" she asked, and TK chuckled.

"I'm sure he did it to annoy me at first, but now he says it in jest," said TK. "He's nearly gone through the whole alphabet by now."

"You're too kind to him."

"Clearly." Then, TK looked at her. "I guess you haven't ordered yet."

"Not yet."

"Have a seat, then. I owe you."

"TK—" She held her hand up to protest, but he gently put it down.

"Please, Sora. I owe you. So much."

When TK ordered and returned to sit with her, he observed the mess of papers in front of him and laughed to himself.

"Looks like you've been hard at work?" Sora asked.

"I've been reading and studying a lot. Just drowning in my stories, building the characters and the world I want. I'm not ready to show any new drafts yet, but I'm happy with how it's turning out so far."

"That's wonderful, TK. You seem to be in much better spirits than before."

His smile faltered.

"I'm sorry I haven't replied to most of your messages. You probably think I'm a jerk."

"Not at all." Sora placed her hand over his in comfort. "You were going through a rough time."

The waitress arrived with not one, but two hazelnut lattes, and TK was quick to tell her, but she claimed her mistake and ended up telling him it was on the house.

"Kari asked for me and Davis to meet, and he and I agreed to it," TK explained as they drank their lattes together. "He apologized for what happened at the wedding, which was weird, because I was the one who started it. I only apologized back."

"I'm surprised you two are getting along," Sora said, taking a sip of her latte.

"Trust me, I am just as surprised. But, it's okay in the end. He really is a good guy. Especially for Kari."

"TK, you don't have to talk about this…"

"It's okay, Sora. I want to. Today was the first time I saw her smile at him, and I didn't feel my heart being ripped out from me, like I did before. I don't think these feelings will disappear, but it's just a matter of learning how to deal with them."

TK paused, then he gave her a cheerful smile. "It'll get better, like it has for you, Sora. You're in a way better mood than you were the last time you were here."

Sora smiled back at him, and they sat in silence for a few moments as they continued taking their sips in silence. As she thought about it, she realized how right he was. The outside temperature may have lowered compared to the last time she ran into TK there, but with all the things that happened since then, she knew—and she could tell that TK did, too—just how much warmer it felt around her.

For a while longer, Sora stayed with TK as she chatted with him, and they savored their drinks to the last drop. It was nice to see him smile again.

When Sora grabbed her purse, she noticed TK's expression on his face, as though a thought crossed TK's mind.

"Sora," he said. "Davis told me what he was planning to do. I know about the 'you-know-what'."

TK didn't need to say anything more. Sora could tell how he felt about it, just by the somber look in his eyes.

"I guess I won't be seeing you at Mimi's next week?"

"Guess not."

"I understand."

They both got up, and Sora hugged him before they parted ways, with TK hugging back warmly.

"I'm happy you worked things out with Tai," he said. "Seeing you with him now gives me hope. Not with Kari, obviously, but... I just know that it's going to happen for me someday."

Before Sora headed toward the door, she looked back to TK, who had just picked up his pen to his paper. The waitress from earlier passed by his table, only to stop and chat with him. Sora noticed the waitress giggling and nervously tucking her hair behind her ear as TK talked to her with a smile.

Sora smiled in their direction before she turned to walk out. Hopefully, TK would feel his warmth soon enough.

* * *

As odd as it seemed, Sora began to shiver on the walk to the train station from the cafe. She made sure that her beanie covered her head to her ears, her scarf wrapped around her neck, and her faux fur jacket was zipped up. The sky seemed to lighten up, and a few rays of sunlight peeked through, but Sora was still bothered by the odd chill in the air.

When she got on the train, she called Tai to tell him that she would be at the house soon and that she wanted him to get the tea ready for her. However, her call to him went straight to voicemail.

It annoyed her a little, knowing that he always had his ringer set to the loudest volume, yet he somehow found ways to distract his attention whenever she happened to call. She had hoped he would have gotten out of that habit.

She stared out the window of the train, watching the sun slowly break through the clouds. She thought then, that Tai might have been occupied with entertaining Davis and Kari during their visit. Better yet, he might have been silently panicking while he and Davis figured out how to keep the ring hidden from Kari. The two were probably trying to talk to one another without opening their mouths. Sora had to hold her hand over her own mouth as she giggled to herself at the thought.

Her phone rang then, and she thought that it was Tai calling her back. However, she stared at her phone screen in surprise to see that it was Kari calling her instead.

"Hey, Kari, what's up?" she asked, and she was even more surprised to hear Davis on the other end.

"I'm so glad you picked up, Sora," he said, his voice unnerving.

"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"It's… my engagement ring… She found it…"

Sora tried to hide her amusement. "Oh, no, Davis… You probably have a lot of explaining to do to Kari."

"No, Kari… Kari's furious. You'd better come quick."

That was when Sora started to worry at how serious he sounded.

"I don't understand. Who found the ring, Davis?"

"I didn't catch her name! Kari went straight at her before anything else could happen! It's some girl who dresses exactly like you when you're cold, except she has long, black hair…"

Sora froze.

_Yuki._

It took Sora a few moments to realize the doors had been opened at her stop and they just began to close. Jumping out of her seat, she raced through the doors in time, beginning her sprint back to Tai's house.

As soon as she got there, she found Davis in the living room, pacing back and forth with his head in his hands. She multiple voices shouting over each other from upstairs.

"Sora!" he said as soon as he saw her and rushed to her. "Took you long enough!"

"Where's Tai?" Sora asked calmly, holding his shoulders.

"He's holding it together, Sora,  _way_ better than I am. Everyone's upstairs. Tai had to close the door to his room to keep that girl away from Kari. That girl's inside, with my ring, but Tai is guarding the door to keep her away from Kari. Kari wants to  _kill_ her."

Never in her wildest ideas did she think that Yuki would ever show up again—yet, she was there,  _again_ , bringing the cold, painful memories along with her.

Sora took a deep breath, staring at Davis's look of terror, knowing what she had to do. She wasn't going to run from the withering cold anymore.

"Come with me," said Sora, taking hold of Davis's wrist and leaving him no other choice but to follow her.

"You're going up there?!" he asked, and they were already climbing the stairs.

"I'm ending this now, Davis. For all of us."

Sora found Tai and Kari in a heated argument in the hallway. Tai's bedroom door was closed, but he stood in front while Kari made her angry attempts to pass him.

But the moment he saw Sora, he ran to her wearing the same panicked expression Davis had when she first walked in.

"I told her I didn't want to see her again," he told her, running his hand nervously through his hair. "She just showed up. I should have just kept the ring where it was..."

"It's okay, Tai, it's okay," she said, holding his shoulders the way she did with Davis earlier.

"This is all my fault, Sora. I—"

"Kari, don't go in there!" Davis warned, and Tai and Sora turned as Kari ran toward the door, running free from Tai's grasp.

"She doesn't know about the ring yet," said Tai. "They both thinks it's yours."

"What?!" said Sora, feeling that matters were only getting worse. Before Tai could explain any further, he had already run into the room with Davis, where Kari had already pushed Yuki further in, both of them shouting as Kari threw her hand hard across Yuki's face.

"You  _bitch!"_  Kari screamed, her hands clutching at Yuki's top, pushing her backward as Yuki screamed back. Tai and Davis bounced back cautiously, appearing as though they gave up in stopping this fight.

Sora shot forward to get between the two girls, feeling the bump of Kari's elbows as she continued to swing, while dodging Yuki's fingernails clawing.

" _Stop!"_  Sora cried, trying to force her arms between their chests, avoiding Kari's growing belly, but neither of them showed any signs of stopping.

"Why the hell are you here?!" Kari shouted, holding her hand up, ready to slap again. "How dare you show up when nobody wants you here! All you do is ruin everything!"

"Kari!  _Kari!"_  Sora yelled, forcing her hand to grasp at Kari's wrist, before Kari could throw another swing. Finally, Sora succeeded in breaking her apart from Yuki. Kari breathed heavily in anger, but Sora held her at her shoulders, looking at her square in the eyes. "Get ahold of yourself, Kari! If not for you, then for the mini..."

Kari stared hard at her and Sora stared back. It took a while for Kari to finally resign, her look of anger suddenly reducing to a pained expression. As she lowered her head with tears falling, Davis patted Sora on the shoulder to take over.

Sora then turned to Yuki, who hugged her arms around her body, her head down with her long, black hair fallen over her face. As Sora approached her, she saw Yuki's fingers of her right hand unclenching, the glint of a flower-shaped diamond on an important finger.

"Yuki…" Sora said quietly. "That's not yours. Give it back."

"I will not," Yuki said.

The chill that Sora got whenever Yuki was mentioned disappeared at that moment, and Sora felt a rush of anger boiling inside of her. Yuki had already shown up unannounced once before, and it crushed Sora then, especially after Yuki led her to believe that she was pregnant. And then, to come back a second time, not only to mess with Tai's life, but also screw up an engagement between two of her close friends?

Sora had enough of this. She never agreed with anyone fighting each other, but she had enough fury to find herself slapping her hand across Yuki's cheek. Yuki tumbled to the floor, holding her cheek in pain.

" _Give it back,"_ Sora repeated with more demand.

Reluctantly, Yuki got back up, pulling the ring off and handing it to her.

"It shouldn't be yours, either," she said, looking back at Sora, her stare bitter and threatening, although Sora wondered if she was frightened by her, since she assumed who the ring belonged to.

"It's not my ring, Yuki."

Sora looked to Tai, both of them sharing a guilty stare. They both knew that they were about to ruin Davis's surprise. Davis sat on the edge of the bed with Kari, holding one hand around her waist and the other on her belly. He froze when he realized what was happening, and looked as though his voice was caught in his throat when Sora picked up his hand and placed the ring in it.

"Davis…?" Kari said, her tear-stained face now showing her surprise.

"Uh—um…" Davis looked to Tai, his eyes widened as though he was left with no choice than to do what he was meant to do, at that moment, of all times. He shifted nervously, moving as though he debated whether to hold the ring from where he sat, or if he wanted to move from the bed to bend down.

"Davis…" Kari said again, her voice softer now, but tears flowing again—this time, with a smile. "This is the first time you've ever surprised me." Before Davis could say anything else, Kari cupped his cheeks and brought him toward her for a kiss.

Sora turned to Yuki, whose expression only changed to remorse.

"That ring," she said. "That ring wasn't…"

"It wasn't, Yuki," Sora said.

Tai turned away, running his hand through his hair again. Sora was sure he had a lot to say, but he was somehow holding his own anger that moment.

"You shouldn't be here," Sora told her.

"I know," said Yuki, and Sora was surprised for her to admit it so easily. "I just… wanted to say goodbye to Tai. This was going to be my last time seeing him. I just took it as my last shot."

Sora looked back to Tai again, realizing that he didn't even want to look at Yuki. When Sora turned back to Yuki, she noticed the pain in her eyes. Sora could see that Yuki was persistent in taking a chance—a chance that she herself had taken for granted and nearly denied, once upon a time. Yuki was only a fool in love, just like Sora was, but it was that moment that Yuki must have finally decided to accept that he was never going to love her back.

She wondered just how cold Yuki must have felt then.

"I hope you know how lucky you really are, Sora," Yuki told her.

When Tai finally looked up, Yuki went over to him.

"I'm sorry, Tai," she said, looking at him as he stared back. She looked as though she waited for him to say something.

"Goodbye, Yuki," was all he said.

"...I guess I'll see myself out."

Yuki turned to walk out of the room, and Sora followed her, somehow feeling pity for her. She stopped halfway down the staircase, watching Yuki silently pick up her purse from the living room before walking herself out the door, closing it behind her.

When Sora returned to Tai's room, she saw Davis and Kari still sat in the same spot, though she saw Kari's forehead leaning into Davis's as they held each other, the shine of the ring now twinkling on her finger. Sora felt sad seeing that the proposal didn't go as planned, but seeing Kari's teary smile and Davis's watery eyes, her heart was filled with joy, knowing how Kari answered his question.

Tai still had the same troubled stare from when Yuki left.

"This is all just so fucked up," he said, but Sora held her hand to his cheek.

"Don't blame yourself for this," she said.

He pressed his hand against hers. "I'm sorry this happened."

"I don't think there was anything else you could have done, Tai."

Sora heard Kari giggle, and she turned to see Davis, who was now holding Kari's right hand, running his thumb along the back of her fingers.

Just as Tai liked to do with her.

"Now I know why you've been doing that," said Kari, laughing. "You were trying to figure out my ring size, weren't you?"

How could she have missed that?

When she turned back to Tai, he was deep in thought, having not paid attention to what Sora just witnessed. She began to worry that he was still distraught over what had just happened, but she also wondered whether steering his mind into something she wanted him to think about might help.

"Tai?"

"Hmm?" He snapped out of his thoughts, his gaze back on her.

"It's a size six."

"What is?"

She smiled, lifting his hand up for her to kiss the back of his fingers.

That's when he smiled back, although his slight confusion implied that he wasn't sure what she meant.

"Are you hinting at something, Sora?" he asked.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Oh, shoot!" he said suddenly, smacking his hand to his forehead. "I forgot about the kettle. I turned it on so that you could have tea by the time you got home. But, that was when Yuki showed up..."

Sora melted. "You remembered to make me tea?"

"You always want tea when it's cold."

"Not  _always_."

"Well… that's true. It's either that, or hot chocolate, miso soup, or-you know what we haven't had in a while? Sake. I guess that's for good reason."

"I can't trust you with sake, Tai."

"I can't trust you with sake, either. In fact, I think you might be even worse."

"Not true!"

Sora laughed as they continued to bicker about which one of them handled their alcohol worse, but she didn't care. Even if the thought of Yuki still worried Tai, Sora was happy that she got him riled up to keep his mind off of what had just happened.

However, Yuki was right about one thing, and Sora had already known it before she said it - she knew exactly how lucky she was to be with Tai.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought the chapter title was fitting for two characters in this chapter. I do hope you're keeping in mind that things might feel warmer between our lovebirds, but, reminder: Yuki has officially left, but we are still in November. Meaning, yes... Winter is coming… (No, I haven't seen GoT)
> 
> Next chapter's forecast: light-hearted and wholesome ;)
> 
> Please also forget about that last note about how many chapters left.. it's definitely a little more than that count. I'll keep you posted.
> 
> Thanks for the reads and for the reviews. You make my days bright.
> 
> Stay warm  
> ..at heart <3


	31. [say that again]

Sora had planned to get up early on Sunday morning. She thought about making a pot of coffee and getting Tai to wake up with her so that they could make breakfast together. Then, she wanted to lounge all day and look through her portfolio, something she hadn't been able to do since she got it back.

But when she heard her alarm go off, she reached for her phone to immediately turn it off. She turned to Tai lying beside her, who stirred from the sound but lay still after a few seconds.

She didn't expect to wake up so groggily. Then again, she didn't expect a visit from Yuki the day before, either. With Kari worked up from Yuki's encounter and Davis stressed from the surprise proposal, even for himself, Sora thought it was best for the two of them to stay over for dinner to calm down. Tai and Kari got along with each other again, as opposed to arguing hours beforehand. They even shared a hug and kiss, something that Sora was always intrigued by when it came to their relationship.

Davis and Kari left later in the evening, and Sora figured that knocking out early would have given her a chance to catch up on sleep. But as Sunday morning arrived, and as she thought back to the events from the week, she came to the conclusion that perhaps a whole week's worth of sleep was necessary.

Sora's phone buzzed with a message alert, and she slid away from her phone and closer to Tai. She had the hope that he would find enough energy to take her into his arms to escape the unruly sounds of that morning, and allow her to join him in his peaceful slumber.

As her silent wish commanded, she felt him reach around her back and pulled her close to him. At the same time, her phone buzzed again.

"Make it stop, Sora," he whined.

If it meant peace for the both of them, she was willing to do it. Rolling around, she reached for her phone to find out who was disturbing their peace.

"Mimi," she said sleepily, hearing Tai grumble behind her. "They're probably back from Sydney by now."

"What does she want?"

"You know her, Tai. She probably wants to catch up." Sora brought her phone closer to open Mimi's messages.

" _Sora! Free for brunch? We've been back and I'm letting Izzy sleep in. You know how hard it is for him when it comes to flying._

" _I can't hold it in! I'm way too excited for Davis's surprise this Friday!"_

Sora sat up with a jolt.

"What happened, Sora?" Tai asked, and as she accepted what was to come and braced herself for the worst, she sighed and dialed Mimi's number.

"Cover your ears, Tai," she replied, hearing the phone ring, followed by an excited gasp on the other end of her phone.

"Sora!" Mimi exclaimed. "I've missed you so much! So, what do you think? You want to get brunch later?"

"I'd love to, Meems," said Sora. "But there's something you need to know first."

Tai sat up next to Sora, his lids half-open, his mouth with a slight frown. Sora looked to him with dread as she told Mimi that the proposal already happened.

" _WHAT?!"_ Mimi screamed. Both Sora and Tai flinched, even as she held the phone away from them before Mimi could deafen their ears. "Davis already—He  _just couldn't—_ OH, I AM  _FURIOUS—_ "

"It just... happened!" was Sora's ultimate excuse at that moment. She didn't think it was the right time to explain what actually happened, especially since she didn't want Mimi to get even more upset, which would have disturbed Tai's attempt to go back to sleep even more.

"I cannot  _believe—_ Izzy! IZZY, ARE YOU HEARING THIS?!"

Sora heard a groan in the background.

"Honey, quiet down..." Izzy said, and Mimi's voice lowered to a whisper. For a few moments, Sora listened to Mimi's voice squeaking in frustration to Izzy before she returned to the phone.

"Sora, give me all the details later at brunch, okay? Izzy wants to sleep."

"He's not the only one," said Tai, falling back into bed.

At brunch later that morning, by Mimi's request, Sora gave Mimi the full details of the events leading up to the proposal. Even after reassuring Mimi that Tai tried to stop Yuki from coming over, and that Yuki was gone for good, Mimi still crossed her arms with a look of disgust.

"Believe me, Sora, I would have slapped her silly before Kari even tried to," Mimi said in a huff, nearly spilling the mimosa out of her glass. "That bitch was lucky I wasn't around!"

Sora sipped on her own mimosa quietly, but she agreed with Mimi on that. She could only imagine Mimi's rage in that situation, and she was relieved to have avoided her wrath for the second time that month, the first being the drama at the wedding.

"Is Kari okay, though?" Mimi asked, the expression on her face softening. "And Davis? Those poor things. They had to go through that when it shouldn't have happened."

"Well, me and Tai got them to calm down after that," Sora replied. "At the very least, Kari said 'yes', and I'm sure it was enough for both of them to leave in a better mood."

"And how are you, Sora?" Mimi leaned against her elbow the table, resting her hand on her palm.

"I'm good. Yuki is finally out of our lives. I know I don't have to worry about her anymore, anyway. Tai was shaken up about it, but I'm glad I got to cheer him up. Me and Tai, we're good."

Mimi watched her for a few moments, and then, she giggled.

"You look so happy when you talk about him."

"Is that so?" Sora asked, feeling herself blush, but realizing there had been a smile on her face from the moment she mentioned him.

"At least there's one more proposal set in our sights that I haven't missed yet."

Sora giggled along with Mimi, knowing exactly what she was thinking.

"We'll see, Meems."

When the food arrived, Mimi divulged every detail of her honeymoon trip with Izzy, and Sora listened intently, finding herself dreaming about spending romantic dinners on the oceanside, and spending time at the beach in the day under the clearest, sunniest of skies.

"We went scuba diving. I felt like a mermaid!" Mimi said. "There were other couples that were learning how to surf. I bet you and Tai would love that. But Izzy didn't mind us sunbathing and lounging by the water for most of the time."

"That sounds lovely."

"I made Izzy taste all of my cocktails, and he didn't like any of them," Mimi added with a frown. "But he thought a pina colada tasted okay. Just without the rum."

"He had a bad experience with rum the last time!" Sora thought back to the night of the bachelor and bachelorette parties. "And he  _still_ tried a drink with it for you? What a trooper."

"That's my hubby for you!—Hubby. That's so weird calling him that now. But, I like it."

"I think it's cute."

Despite Mimi being perky and talkative as usual, she held her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn. Sora could tell that Mimi was still tired from coming back from the trip.

But after they hugged and kissed each other's cheeks at the front of the restaurant, Mimi looked as though she didn't want to rest.

"I'm going to start on those pie orders tomorrow," she said with a sigh. "I wanted to start on them today, but Izzy said that I should sleep. He can be so insistent. Then again, I did ban him from entering his office today, so I guess we're even. I guess I'll have to start thinking about dinner for Friday, too…"

Mimi trailed off, and Sora watched as her eyes lit up at that moment, as though a lightbulb turned on inside of her head.

"What's up, Mimi?" Sora asked, and Mimi smiled cheerfully.

"You're going to  _love_ dinner!" Mimi wrapped her arms around Sora and kissed her cheek again before they parted ways.

"You don't have to go all out, Mimi."

"Don't talk like that! It'll be great! I'll talk to you later!"

Sora walked away, suspecting that Mimi was thinking up her plan to make something special for her, and perhaps even for Davis and Kari, given their new engagement.

Her suspicions continued, except it was for another reason, as she returned to Tai's house, finding him near the shoe rack by the door. He was holding one of her sneakers, and he looked back at her as though he had been caught off guard.

"What's up?" She asked.

"I, uh, saw a spider crawling around this morning," Tai replied. "I was checking to see if they went into any of the shoes."

Sora stared at him with skepticism as he stared back.

"You know how I hate spiders," she said, taking off her boots and walking further in. She was fine with smacking flies away and picking up other bugs, but there was something about spiders that sparked a chill down her spine. She turned to watch him continue his supposed search, seeing that he looked through the boots she had just taken off, and the jacket she just placed on the coat stand.

Suddenly, he took one of his shoes and smacked it against the wooden floor, and Sora gasped, with an inkling that he might have actually been looking for a spider.

"Ha!" he said triumphantly. "Got it." He turned to look at Sora, who stayed in her spot. "Wanna see?"

 _"No._ Get rid of it." Sora crossed her arms and went up the stairs rather quickly, the thought of a black blob of a spider underneath that shoe grossing her out.

Sora spent most of the day looking through her portfolio. She first cracked it open while sitting in her bed in her room, but then, she moved downstairs to sit against Tai on the couch while he played a video game. Now that she had one of her most ambitious work in her hands, she wanted to start figuring out what to do with it moving forward.

She heard an angry shout from the game, one that sounded distinctive to a familiar series that Tai adored. Sure enough, when she turned her head toward the TV, she saw the temperamental duck of whom that angry shout belonged to, holding a mage's staff as he ran around with the main character whose hairstyle rivaled Tai's.

" _Kingdom Hearts?"_  Sora asked.

" _Kingdom Hearts II,"_ said Tai with a grin.

Sora parted her lips in surprise. She never paid any attention to video games except for when Tai played them during university. With the first  _Kingdom Hearts_ game, Sora thought it was a silly game at first and rolled her eyes at it, given Tai's love for Disney. However, the gameplay and story captured her by surprise, to the point where she wouldn't let Tai play without her watching, and even took the controller from him to play at times. The two of them stayed up all night once to play through the end of the game, only to be found by Matt the next morning while she sat on the couch, sobbing in Tai's arms.

As Sora closed her portfolio and set it aside, Tai paused the game and handed the controller to her without question. He seemed to figure out by her wide-eyed stare that she wanted to play. Like everything else she worried about, Sora figured that she could set the portfolio aside and wait to think about it later, and enjoy the rest of the day with Tai, even if it was with one of his silly games.

* * *

On Monday, Sora decided to bring the portfolio with her to show to Bira-sensei. She nearly forgot to bring it, since she put it back in her room before going to bed with Tai for the night. It made her wonder, then, if that extra bed was worth keeping anymore if she wasn't going to sleep in it.

Tai nearly missed his train that morning, because he had forgotten something as well. Sora was already awake when he was getting ready for work, and he was looking for one of his favorite ties that had apparently disappeared from his closet. She helped him look for it all over the house, but couldn't find it anywhere. He ended up settling for whatever Sora chose for him before hurrying out the door.

Sora was excited to show Bira-sensei her portfolio, but from the moment she walked in, she was surprised to see a handful of customers already in the shop, and Bira-sensei ringing up one other.

"Sora!" Bira-sensei said with relief. "Thank goodness. We've got a few alterations that I need done by today—It's my fault that we have a backlog of items."

"I'm on it, sensei," Sora replied, hurrying to the back. Bira-sensei wasn't kidding—there was one that was promised an hour from when Sora started her shift, and there were double the amount of alterations that needed to be prepared by the next day. It was odd that there were no requests needed for the days after, but the work was piled on too high for Sora to question it.

Still, they had no trouble getting it all done. Sora and Bira-sensei switched off between working in the back and handling the storefront duties. Monday was already one of their busiest days anyway, so the rush of multitasking didn't bother Sora at all. She might have even enjoyed it a little, especially when she compared it to being in the center backstage of a fashion show, dealing with last minute mishaps and running around to make sure her models and their wardrobe presentation ran smoothly.

It wasn't until the early evening when the foot traffic died down. When Sora sat down to take a break, she picked up her phone to catch up on messages. Surprisingly, there were none for her to read. She found it odd that not even Mimi had sent her a message at all that day, especially since she sent at least a few every day, even when she was on a honeymoon trip.

After Sora sent Mimi a text, she went back to work and began to sweep around the store while Bira-sensei worked on an alteration at the front counter. A few moments later, Sora heard Bira-sensei let out a low whistle.

"Who is that handsome fellow lollygagging outside of my shop?"

Sora turned around to look, and saw Tai peeking through the storefront windows. He was out of his formal business attire and had changed into casual jeans and a shirt, wearing his zipped-up hooded jacket over it. He caught her eye then, and he grinned as he waved at her.

_What is he doing here?_

She was surprised to see him. Of course, he usually ended work hours before she did, but him visiting her at the boutique was a first. She motioned him to come inside.

"What brings you here?" Sora asked with a smile, although she was confused.

"Mimi's inviting us over tonight, so I thought I'd come over to let you know," said Tai, then he looked over to Bira-sensei and flashed a smile. "Are you the famous Bira-sensei? I'm Taichi, Sora's boyfriend. You can call me Tai."

Bira-sensei smiled warmly as she shook his hand. "Pleasure, my dear," She said cheerfully.

"You came all the way here to tell me this?" Sora asked, wanting to press him for answers. Tai responded by taking her hand, drawing close to her and catching her off guard.

"Well, Mimi and Izzy hasn't seen me since coming back, and you know they don't care as long as you're there, so they really wanted to see you, and…" Tai looked into her eyes and moved closer, and Sora suddenly wondered if Bira-sensei turned the heater up in the shop. "...I really wanted to see you, too."

Even as she was distracted by being flustered, Sora stared at Tai in disbelief. What in the world was he thinking? Acting like this while she was still working, right in front of her boss, at that? She still had a few hours to go before her shift. What made him think that Bira-sensei would even let her out of work that early?

Somehow, whatever Tai was playing at seemed to work in his favor, judging by the admiring expression on Bira-sensei's face.

"You know what, Sora?" she said. "It's been a long day, and I wouldn't want to make your night even longer. Why not take the rest of the night off?"

"Really, Bira-sensei?" Sora asked incredulously. "Are you sure?"

"You've worked extra hard today, so you deserve it. Besides, you wouldn't want to keep this young man waiting for too long, do you?"

Bira-sensei winked as she said that, and Tai wriggled his eyebrows at Sora in agreement.

"I… I guess not," said Sora, laughing nervously and shaking her head. She felt grateful for Bira-sensei's relaxed demeanor, and was glad she didn't react differently to fire her on the spot.

Sora gathered her things while Tai waited for her, and she made sure that she left her portfolio with Bira-sensei to look through for the rest of the night. After bidding Bira-sensei goodnight and walking out to the corner past the boutique, Sora gave Tai a hard smack on his shoulder.

"You're lucky my boss liked you, Tai!" she said, after withholding her agitation by his actions. "I can't imagine what would have happened if I didn't have a boss so laid back!"

"Sora—relax! I just acted that way based on how you've been talking about her," Tai said. "That, and adding in some of that 'Yagami Taichi' charm—you know it worked," he added when Sora rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"So, is it true, then? Did Mimi really want us to come over?"

"Of course, it's true." Tai took her into his arms, staring at her face to face, unfazed by her grimace that was now waning. "All of that part was true. Mimi wanted to see you. And so did Izzy."

"And you, too?" Sora asked, feeling the corners of her lips curling, and their noses nearly touching.

"And me, too." Tai brought her close for her lips to meet his, finally greeting her with a soft kiss.

Sora smiled when she pulled away from him. "Is this the 'Yagami Taichi' charm you were talking about?"

"Is it working?" he asked with a smirk.

"Possibly."

Before she kissed him again, she noticed a taxi cab stop at the curb in front of them, and Tai turned around.

"Hop in, Sora," he said, opening the door for her. "I'll even let you pay this time."

Sora raised a brow.

"You're acting really weird, Tai."

Tai only grinned, and Sora went inside the cab before asking anything else. The odd behavior continued in the cab ride, when Tai asked if he could take a look at her gloves. She thought nothing of it at first, but then she heard him mumble, and she turned to see him reading the tag on the inside of one of them.

"One size fits all…" she heard him say before he gave her gloves back. "How can that be true when my hands are twice the size of this?"

Sora laughed. "Are you jealous of the gloves that fit my small hands?"

"Far from that. What I really want to know is why the tag is so misleading?"

"Wait a second. How is it 'misleading'?"

They went back and forth about it throughout the taxi ride, with Tai arguing that there should at least be a range in sizes rather than words that didn't really fit  _'all'_  hands. Sora argued that he had a point, but she wondered why he was arguing about gloves that she knew he would only look past and ignore if he was buying a pair for himself.

The taxi driver cleared his throat, indicating that they had arrived at Mimi and Izzy's. Sora paused their argument as she took her wallet out, and was about to start arguing with Tai for another reason when he pulled his out—only when he showed Sora the card, she realized it had her name on it.

"What did I tell you about this, Sora?" Tai asked with a mocking grimace, except he was smiling.

Sora snatched her card from his hands to pay the driver, then their exaggerated debate about gloves continued as they both walked the footpath to Mimi and Izzy's front door. They only stopped arguing the moment after Sora knocked on the door, with Matt appearing before them as it opened.

"I don't really feel like things are normal until I find Tai and Sora are bickering like an old couple," said Matt with a smile.

Sora blinked. "Matt? What are you doing here?"

"Celebrating early."

After Matt greeted Tai with their handshake, he greeted Sora with the warmest of hugs. Then, he took her by the shoulder and led her inside, with Tai following behind. As Matt announced her arrival, she realized why Mimi was being so quiet all day, and even why she acted strangely when they left from brunch on Sunday. Sora had walked into a full living room, where all of her friends turned to her and collectively gasped with excitement.

She couldn't believe it.

"Sora!" Aika said, getting up from the couch to hug her, followed by Mika and Joe, who had been sitting next to her.

"We didn't think you could get out of work this early," said Joe.

"Trust Tai to work his magic," said Sora with a giggle.

Izzy came around shortly after with his own hug. "I knew you always had the guts, Sora," he said. "I can't find any other words to properly express this, but, really, what you accomplished was badass."

"Couldn't have been more appropriate," said Aika, giving Izzy a high five.

"Sora!" Mimi squealed from the dining room, holding a large plate of ginger pork that she nearly dropped. "I couldn't wait to tell you!"

Sora went to the dining room, where she found Kari already sitting at the table and Davis helping Mimi place the steamed rice and vegetables. As soon as Mimi set down the large plate in the center, Sora held Mimi from behind in a tight hug.

"You didn't have to do this, Meems," she said.

"Oh, Sora," Mimi said. "I wanted to! You got your portfolio back, and Davis and Kari got engaged while we weren't here. I had to bring everyone together as soon as I could to celebrate. I'm so happy we're all here. I even got Joe to come!"

"It's such a shock, isn't it?" said Joe with a smile as he entered the room.

Before Sora sat down at the table between Kari and Tai, she gave Davis a hug, and kissed Kari's cheek. She still worried about them because of the other day, but she was glad to see them both still in good spirits.

"Look, Sora," said Kari as Sora took her seat. Kari held up her phone to show a message from TK expressing his congratulations. Kari smiled, but Sora could tell she was still worried. She figured Mimi told him about tonight, but knew it wouldn't change TK's mind to show up.

"He'll be okay, right, Sora?" Kari asked.

"He will be, Kari," Sora replied, squeezing her shoulder in comfort.

Despite her bittersweet feelings about TK, there was something about sitting at full table surrounded by all of her friends as they all had dinner together that warmed her heart. Mimi told stories about Sydney, which Sora already heard, but never got enough of listening to.

"I definitely would have gone surfing," said Tai, and Sora giggled with Mimi.

When everyone wiped their plates clean, Mimi got up to pick them up, with Aika getting up from her seat to help her. Izzy and Joe began to talk about how nice it was to see everyone during the work week, while Tai and Matt poked fun at Davis on wanting to grow up too fast.

"That's coming from two of the most childish grown men that we know," whispered Sora to Kari, but loud enough for all of them to hear.

"Wanna say that again, Sora?" Tai asked, causing her to nearly jump in her seat as he poked at her side.

"I'll say it again," she replied in her normal voice, turning to stare at him with a daring smile, but ready to get out of her chair. "Childish grown man."

Sora flew out of her chair and ran, but Tai was already up and darting after her. She laughed as she ran around the table before heading into the living room, stopping at the fireplace where Tai inevitably caught her as he laughed with her. He tickled at her sides, causing her to laugh uncontrollably. Fortunately, he stopped tickling her, and let her hold onto the front of his jacket as she caught her breath from laughing so hard.

She rested her head on his shoulder as she calmed herself, settling in with the fireplace popping behind them. She started to feel content until she squealed as she felt another jab at her side. Matt laughed as he passed by, and she swiped her hand at him, hearing Tai laugh above her.

For the rest of the evening, Sora walked around to mingle and catch up with everyone, all while she munched on the slice of pie that Mimi set out on the counter. Joe seemed to be calmer about work, and she could tell by how relaxed he was when he talked about it. Matt and Aika sat at the bar counter, closest to the pie. He filled Sora in, talking about being busy recording the album with his band, while Aika was preparing for upcoming shows with hers.

Everyone talked excitedly about Davis and Kari's engagement, despite knowing how it all happened. The two were still talking about how they wanted to plan the wedding, but when Sora asked as she joined them by the fireplace, she gathered that they wanted the ceremony to be at a smaller scale compared to Mimi and Izzy's, and sooner than a year's time.

"Mini Kari's supposed to be born at the end of spring," said Kari, gently rubbing her belly. "We want to get married before then. I'm sure it'll all work out."

"Hey, Kari," Davis said. "Remind me again why we can't use the name I wanted for the 'Mini' again?"

Kari pouted at him. "I told you already. Tai would kill us if we used it."

Sora tilted her head in curiosity as she listened to them argue.

"Come  _on."_ Davis groaned. "The name literally means 'summer'! It could either be a boy's or girl's name. It's perfect! Don't you get first dibs if you're having a baby first?"

Kari laughed. "Tai already wanted to kill you when he first found out that I was pregnant. He wants that name for his own. We'll think of another name."

Sora felt her heart swelling. Davis didn't seem to understand, but she knew. Her eyes misted as she remembered the conversation years ago between her, Tai, and their friends that led to this memory.

She didn't think that he would even remember.

"Ever think of baby names?" Mimi had asked everyone back then, as they sat at a booth at their regular bar.

"You're asking a table full of single people," Tai argued. "Why would we be thinking of baby names?"

"Really?! I can't be the only one! Sora?"

Sora shrugged. She looked to Tai, then to Matt, both who shook their heads.

"Seriously, you guys!" Mimi continued. "Question of the night! If you ever had a child, what would you name him or her?"

Thinking about it, Sora could only think of the season she loved the most, where every day was bright and sunny, the trees in full bloom with its green lush. She was free to run, bike, swim, twirl and dance in the cool breeze underneath the clear, blue skies.

"Natsu," Sora said.

"Natsu?" Mimi repeated, her eyes sparkling.

"Why is that not surprising?" Matt asked

"A very fitting name," said Izzy.

"I could see that," Tai said. "A Mini Sora with fiery red hair, a spitfire of a personality. Also, can be a hot head."

Sora scoffed at the smug look on Tai's face. "You're one to talk!"

Thinking back, it surprised her to know that he had kept that conversation with him for so long, but after listening to Davis and Kari, it became clear as a day in the very name, why Tai would keep it away from anyone else. She stared at Tai as he laughed along with Izzy and Joe, and it occurred to her then, just what he truly felt about her.

"Sora? Are you okay?" Kari asked with concern, but Sora smiled as she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands.

"Your brother is an idiot," said Sora, sniffling. "A childish grown idiot, but just know that I love him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing makes me happier than giving you another dose of Colors.
> 
> **I've also used 'Natsu' in a chapter forever ago (chapter 10) as her code word for her fabrics, but you know just how much she loves that season.
> 
> **Last time it was the Marvel and DC heroes - this time it's back to Tai and his Disney mania.
> 
> **You've just read the calm. Next chapter: the stor **M**. Bira-sensei finally speaks out.
> 
> **Any guesses on how the story ends?
> 
> **In addition, wonder why Tai is going through Sora's stuff? He sure pays attention to things that start with s. Sora. Spiders. Sports cars...
> 
> Comments and kudos make my day, so thank you! And even with that, thank you so much for reading.
> 
> Stay warm <3


	32. [if things were different]

Everyone parted ways from Izzy and Mimi's at around the time Sora normally closed up the boutique. Mimi apologized for not having an extra pie for Sora to take back to Tai's, but she did hand Tai a rolled-up piece of fabric and snuck it into his hands for no one else but him and Sora to see.

Tai gasped. "You found it!" he said. "I've been looking for this tie!"

"I'll pretend I never saw this," said Mimi with a knowing wink at them both, and Sora blushed furiously as she remembered her last visit after watching a movie with Tai.

Then, Sora and Mimi said their goodbyes, exchanging kisses on their cheeks. Sora walked out, holding Tai's arm, suggesting that they take a taxi back to his place. He obliged and called a taxi for them, his arm held around her waist.

"So, what were you talking about with Kari and Davis?" Tai asked when they stopped at the curb. "Did Davis make you cry?"

Sora giggled. "They were talking about baby names," she replied. "That they were going to name their kid 'Natsu'."

The smile Tai had on his face immediately disappeared. "You're joking."

"I am." Sora laughed as he frowned at her. "She said you wouldn't let her have it."

"She'd better not take it," he said with a grumble.

Sora bit her lip from laughing even more. "You seem pretty adamant about that."

As she calmed herself, she stared at him, her lips pressing together. It was funny, how the future between them never came up in conversation. During the course of their relationship, she was always reminiscing about their past, taking what they learned from it, and working through it in the present. Their thoughts on what could happen next didn't cross her mind at the time, but she noticed that he hesitated when it came to talking about their future; and, she realized the more she actually thought about it, that she was no different than he was.

At that moment, she wondered whether there was a reason to be afraid anymore.

"You know, Tai…" she began nervously. "You've never talked about wanting kids."

"Oh. Well, I…"

She watched his expression changed from annoyance to doubt, as though he had just realized what she had just brought up. He was nervous, too.

"It's not just  _any_ name…" she said as she drew closer to him, putting her hands into the sleeves of his jacket.

"No… No, it's not." He held her hands with his, warming them inside of his sleeves. "It wasn't even mine to begin with. It was yours. But I guess... I just always wanted it to be ours."

She could have melted on the spot as his eyes drifted back to look into hers.

"I  _want_  it to be ours, Sora," he said again. "Obviously not now, but...in the future."

Sora beamed as he mentioned the word, but let him continue talking.

"We both have things to settle with our bosses, and see where our jobs are taking us. Maybe after that, we can start figuring things out together."

"Like...you buying a sports car," she said.

"Like me buying a sports car," he said sheepishly, but laughed as he said it. The tension she felt in his forearms loosened as he laughed, but she could tell he still felt uneasy. She glided her hands up and down slowly on his arms, massaging them in comfort.

"We'll take it one step at a time, Tai. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you, like you will be for me. Like I've said before, I'll be ready when you are."

Tai looked into her eyes, as though realization hit him. Sora felt his body relax, and he gave her a soft smile. She smiled back, feeling the warmth of his smile, which showed how happy he was.

"That sports car, though…" she continued. "It'd better be a good one."

He let out a chuckle, and gave her a knowing smile.

"You'll love it, Sora," he said.

The taxi arrived, and Tai's gaze left her, and he let go of her hands as he turned to open the door for her to climb in. For a moment, she stared back at him in awe, at a loss for words at what he just said.

In the taxi ride back, he held her close to keep her warm, even with the heater on in the car. He gave her a light kiss on her cheek, just because. It was the little things he did that never ceased to amaze her to show how much he cared for her.

But it was the fact that he kept that name with him, the fact that he had kept his hopes to stay with her, no matter how nervous about the future he was… that damned sports car…

She was amazed at just how much in love he was with her.

They got to the house, taking off their shoes and Sora removing her coat at the door. She started up the stairs as Tai turned the heater on, then he followed behind her. Stopping in front of her bedroom door, she looked over to her bed. How long had it been since she slept in it? She couldn't remember.

The question disappeared as soon as Tai appeared at the top of the stairs. Sora approached him, placing her hands on his chest over his jacket as she lifted her head up to look into his eyes. She wanted to stare into those chocolate brown eyes forever, though only to break the stare when she moved closer to him for her lips to meet his. She gave him a kiss, soft and tender, inviting his lips to kiss back. He moved forward as she pulled away, and she smiled as he stared with wonder.

Taking his hand, she turned to lead him down the hallway to his bedroom, making her decision to move to his bed, instead of hers. She preferred the softness of her mattress to his, and how it fit to her form as though she slept on a cloud, but none of that mattered anymore - not when sleeping in his bed meant being close to him.

He threw his jacket and shirt off, and she took off her top as they climbed onto his bed together. She fell onto her back and, although she was waiting for it, he leaned over her to meet her lips with a kiss, still catching her by surprise. She moved her hands around his back as he gave her slow, deep kisses - his answer to her for the kiss on the stairs. The way his hands held her face as he kissed her so sweetly, the warmth of his chiseled chest against her only enticed her to want to feel the heat between them, with the desire to love him only growing stronger.

"Tai…" she exhaled when he pulled away from her lips to kiss her neck, his hands moving down her shoulders, taking the straps of her bra away with them. She was helpless against the touch of his lips on her, then as he went up to whisper soft nothings in her ear that made her shiver all over. His fingers trailed on her chest and heading downward, with enough teasing for her to cry out even more.

She brought his lips back to hers, the craving for them unbearable as she kissed him back fiercely. She felt his want was the same as he kissed her, savoring his tongue on hers between kisses. She wanted him, he wanted more. She knew, and she felt it as he lowered into her, her fingers dug into his hair as their bodies rocked together, that all he wanted to do was love her back.

They both sighed together, and he rolled to lay next to her, his heavy breathing and pounding heart matching hers.

"You know, if things were different, I'd say that we just made a 'Natsu'," said Tai as he collected his breath. Sora laughed.

"Then you'd  _have_ to buy me a sports car, no matter what," she replied, turning to lay on her stomach and resting her head on his chest. He took her hand and pressed his lips on the back of her fingers. She wondered then, if he figured out the size of her ring finger yet.

As he ran his thumb across her fingers, she started to think that giving him that obvious hint didn't connect with him back then. But something else connected with her in that moment, as he held her hand and they both breathed to calm. She thought about the way he studied her hands as though he searched for an answer. Not just her hand, but the insides of her shoes and her jacket, then, her gloves...

_Really, Tai?_

"What's so funny?" he asked, as Sora laughed hard.

"Yagami, you idiot," she said, turning her head toward his chest, under the covers as she kept laughing.

"What did I do this time?"

She wanted to tell him up front, but was tempted to keep teasing him until he figured it out himself. When her laughter died down, she lifted her head and tilted it to look up into his eyes staring back in curiosity.

"Do you really want to know?" she asked, flashing a smile that caused him to smirk.

"I'm not too sure anymore, if you're gonna look at me like that."

"So… you're okay with being an idiot?" She ran her palm up and down his chest, catching his gaze as she drew closer.

"By your standards, I'm okay with it."

"Mmm?"

"Mmm."

Sora moved up and ran her fingers through his hair as her lips melted into his. She decided to save his sheer embarrassment when revealing it to him for the next morning, or when she returned from work that evening. She was in no rush. In the meantime, she pulled herself up and mounted over him, sharing a glance and a smile with him as they both knew that, if things were different, they would make certain that Natsu was going to become a reality by the end of that night.

.

.

.

.

* * *

For the first time in a long while, Sora woke up from the sound of her alarm for work. She had slept through the rest of the night and throughout the morning, even through whenever Tai rolled out of bed for work. As soon as she pushed the button on her phone to turn the alarm off, she noticed that a message from Tai was already waiting for her to read.

" _Out like a light, huh? You are welcome ;P"_

Sora let out a snort, laughing to herself before she replied back. She was glad that he wasn't there to hear her - otherwise, he would have made fun of her even more.

Tai didn't have much else to say the rest of the morning, given that he said he was busy with his usual meetings with clients and his boss that day. Sora had an idea then, to bake a tray of chocolate chip cookies before she left for work. They were his favorite kind, and it was a secret they kept from Mimi that Sora's cookies baked from scratch were the best he had ever tasted.

Other than Tai's affection for these cookies, as she waited for them to bake, Sora found herself wondering about Bira-sensei's words about Haru-sensei's hand being "caught in the cookie jar". Whatever Haru ended up doing left Bira-sensei unfazed, and Sora saw that she was doing well for herself, designing and selling her own clothes, as well as maintaining a successful boutique. Sora could only aspire to be like her.

However, Sora wondered, if only for a moment, whether she actually should have that aspiration, when she first approached the  _Birahana Boutique_  that afternoon, her heart nearly stopping, as she read the sign on the storefront window.

" _FOR LEASE"_

"W... What?!" Sora said aloud, immediately bolting toward the door. The door was unlocked and she burst through, seeing that there were a handful of unfamiliar people clearing out the store. The jewelry stand was being emptied into a large box, and clothes were being unhooked from their racks.

"Bira-sensei?" Sora called with apprehension, bursting with questions about the state of the store, her job, her life-

"In the back," Bira-sensei's voice replied. Sora hurried through the sales floor and went into the back, where Bira-sensei whirled her desk chair to face Sora as soon as she saw her. "Ah, here you are, Sora."

"Bira-sensei, what's happening?! Did you really decide to close down the shop? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Allow me to explain." Bira-sensei sat up, adjusting her glasses. "I've had plans to relocate and I finally got the go ahead to do so. So, in essence, I am closing down this shop, and, Sora… You're fired."

"...Oh."

Sora searched for the words to say, not knowing how to process this. She had known this might have been one of the end results, and she had been irritated and angry by Bira-sensei leading her astray. But, at that moment, it took her every ounce of her being to hold back her tears.

"Well, Bira-sensei…" Sora leaned forward slightly into a bow, surprised that her voice didn't crack. "I appreciate the opportunity. Thank you for everything you have done for me until this point."

"Oh, Sora…" Bira-sensei sounded as though she was chuckling. "Stand up straight, love. It's true that I'm firing you, and that I am closing down this shop. But you never belonged in a measly little shop like this, anyway. You deserve to be at the top, Sora. You should be a fashion designer at a top company.  _My_  company."

"What...?" Sora furrowed her brows. The urge to cry slowly disappeared, but she was only getting more confused.

"Sora, I am offering you a job."

Sora paused.

"You're firing me... and then, you're hiring me?"

"That's right, Sora." Bira-sensei stood up and held Sora's hands in hers. "I've been away all this time trying to finalize a deal, and finally I've closed on it. I'm opening my own headquarters, and I want you to be a part of it."

"Wow…Well… That's great! Congratulations!"

"Sora - I want to be congratulating you too! You would be the perfect fit - There's no question about it. I've left you in charge with the shop. Just think about all of that time I was gone as a hands-on experiment on how well you can manage on your own. You have done well, keeping up with the alterations, helping me with designs. Hell, the only other way I would've thought this shop would shut down is if you opened up your own shop in place of mine."

It took Sora a few moments to realize that Bira-sensei wasn't putting her out of a job at all.

Bira-sensei was offering her the job she had always dreamed of.

"I don't believe it…" Sora's realization was giving her the urge to cry again, but this time, for a happier reason.

"Darling, believe it! I'll be Creative Director so you'll be second to me as Head Fashion Designer. Here's what I'm offering you."

Bira-sensei turned to hand her a stack of a few pages stapled together - the contract for her employment. Sora hastily read the first few pages and flipped to the last page, where her eyes widened as she gasped at the number next to the yen symbol.

"That's a lot of zeros…" Sora said, nearly fainting, surprised that she could even speak. It was a salary that might have competed against Tai's. She turned to Bira-sensei then, agape with her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "You could have just said you were promoting me…"

"I can't see anyone more perfect for this position than you, Sora. And, even better, with your position, we can talk about releasing your designs. Those kimono designs for the fall - they are  _fantastic_. No wonder Haru wanted them for herself. I'll help you, but we are going to release them strictly under your name."

"Bira-sensei…"

Sora was over the moon. She couldn't believe that any of this was happening. All she wanted at that point was to run back to Tai's place and tell him the incredible news.

"You deserve this, dearest Sora… However, before you make a decision, I want you to think about it, especially since that was only the first part of it."

Sora blinked. "The first part? What's the second part?"

Bira-sensei searched her eyes, as though she waited for Sora to figure it out herself. But what she said next was more than enough to bring Sora back down to earth.

"There's a reason why I've been going back and forth between here and Paris, Sora," Bira-sensei explained. "Eventually, I hope to bring my business back here and thrive here again once the company builds up."

"Come back here, again? What do you..." Sora asked, but her mind was already working to connect the dots.

Paris.

 _Birahana Headquarters_  was going to be in Paris.

"You've been setting it all up in Paris," Sora repeated from her collective thoughts, her heart sinking quickly. "That's where you're starting up. That's where… that's where I'll have to go."

"I know this is all happening so suddenly, but I want to give you at least some time to think about it. I'm already packing up my own place here and moving everything to Paris this weekend, so I know it's going to be just as hectic for you. I'll have a large two-bedroom flat available for you, just to spare you the hassle of finding a place on your own. However, I would really like it if you started in two weeks."

"Wait, Bira-sensei." Sora took a step back. "That barely gives me any time to really think about this! You've been preparing for this for who knows how long, and you're barely telling me this now. As much as I want this opportunity, I can't give you an answer right away."

"I understand." Bira-sensei let out a sigh, then looked up, as though deep in thought before looking at Sora again. "How much time do you need?"

There was only one reason why she was holding back in agreeing to this, and she couldn't bear to keep it from Bira-sensei.

"I just… I have to talk it over with Tai."

With that, Bira-sensei gave her a smile of understanding, and placed her hand on Sora's shoulder in comfort.

"Let me know as soon as you can, okay, Sora?"

"I will, Sensei."

* * *

Sora stayed to help Bira-sensei finish the last of the alteration requests. No wonder she only took those requests with today as their due date, and nothing afterward. With the decision to close the store, Sora manned the front counter and fielded questions to any confused and concerned customer walking in. Luckily, the worst reaction was a groan in frustration from a customer, who turned and walked away without another word. Still, Sora felt her heart clenched as a few bursted into tears in front of her, all of them shocked and sad at the unexpected news.

She had no idea how Tai was going to react.

Bira-sensei released her from her duties an hour earlier than the end of her shift. It was a weird feeling, knowing that it was the last time she would ever set foot at the boutique.

"Whatever you decide, Sora," said Bira-sensei before Sora walked out, "Just know that I am extremely proud of you."

"Thank you, Bira-sensei," Sora replied, feeling a rush of emotions that caused her to shed a few tears. She threw her arms around Bira-sensei, both of them sharing a warm embrace.

Sora couldn't stop shivering from the chill of the evening. She sat on the train ride back, clutching her portfolio tightly against her chest, with Bira-sensei's contract tucked neatly inside of it. She braced herself, even wearing her warm jacket, scarf, and beanie, but she was still afraid of what was to come once she walked through the door frame.

"You're home early," Tai said with a smile. He had been leaning against the kitchen counter, munching on one of her chocolate chip cookies as he held it in his hand. The heater was already on, and the fireplace was already lit. She smiled back, but she wasn't sure how to start the conversation. He set the cookie down and walked over to her as she set down her things, and he pulled her in for a soft, gentle kiss.

"You must have really enjoyed my cookies," Sora said, and Tai laughed.

"They're  _amazing_ , as always," he said. "And so are you, as always." He kissed her again, and Sora sensed there was more to his mood than what he was showing. "I have something to tell you. I wanted to tell you first, but I hinted to Matt about it when I texted him earlier. He's been spamming my phone since."

"What is it?"

"Well, Boss finally gave me some great news. I thought I was walking into another boring meeting with him today, but he finally,  _finally_ gave me a job offer. I'm getting promoted with a permanent position in the company! I'll be working alongside him now!"

"So, that means you get to stay in Tokyo," Sora replied with a smile, though she felt the pain in her heart turning cold.

_Don't cry, Sora..._

"That's right! You know I never wanted to go back to Beijing, and I'm so relieved I don't have to worry about quitting and all that. I get to stay here, with my family, with Kari. I get to stay here with all of our friends, and, with…"

He held up her hands in his as he spoke, but he stopped talking once he realized the look on Sora's face. She couldn't hide her emotions from him any longer, not with the warm tears streaming down her cheeks.

"What happened, Sora?" he asked, the brightness disappearing from his eyes as his excitement shifted to worry.

"I'm happy for you, Tai," she said, feeling her tears roll down faster. "Really, I am. I…"

"Hey…" Tai cupped his hands on her cheeks, running his thumbs in attempt to wipe the tears that kept coming. "I know tears of joy when I see them, but this isn't it."

Sora took a deep breath. "I got a job offer today, too, Tai. Bira-sensei wants me to be the head fashion designer at her headquarters…"

"Really?! Sora, that's incredible! But… why aren't you happy about this?"

"...It's in Paris, Tai."

That was when she watched his eyes, observing them changing from concern, to excitement, then a moment of confusion, and then…

"Bira-sensei gave me time to think about it," Sora continued. "It's a huge step forward for me, but it's also a huge decision I need to make."

Tai's hands fell away and dropped to his sides. He turned around, leaving Sora near the door with a deafening silence. It worried her, not being able to see the look on his face then. Every second his back turned to her felt like a lifetime.

"How soon do you have to go?" he asked, the spirit in his voice gone.

"As soon as I accept her offer. I'm supposed to start in two weeks."

Tai turned to her with a look of surprise. "You haven't accepted it?"

"I haven't."

"What's stopping you, Sora?" he asked, startling her, enough for the tears to stop.

"What do you mean?"

He went back to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "The Sora I know would jump at the chance at something like this, once upon a time. She wouldn't let anything stand in her way, or anyone. Sora, this is your  _dream_. You'd be a fool not to take it."

"Tai…"

The one person she had been afraid of telling of was encouraging her to go for her dream. His eyes were showing warmth again, and he flashed a smile to go with it.

Blinking her tears away, she let out a sniffle as she smiled back. Knowing that Tai supported her with the opportunity of a lifetime warmed her heart. It only made her love him even more.

Yet...

"I'm so proud of you, Sora," he said, pulling her in for a hug. She hugged him back, and felt him holding her as though he didn't want to let her go; and, somehow, even with the warmth of his embrace, she felt her own heart slowly breaking.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Tai has a huge realization. That means, for next chapter I'm giving you a big, fat Tai Warning (not really a warning, because we love him, right? Riiight..?)
> 
> Thank you so much for reading. In case you missed it on Tumblr, I just haven't been up to writing or posting lately due to personal reasons. This chapter's been sitting for a while, so I thought this would be a good one to stew over as I take my time to deal. Leave a comment if you'd like, although I'd also love distractions on Twitter or Tumblr. Spaz to me about the new Digimon content, like Tai looking so, so good, or Miss Charming Queen Sora looking absolutely stunning. I just want to make it a point that I am always here to chat about anything at anytime (Digimon or not).
> 
> Love you guys.
> 
> Stay warm at heart <3


	33. [don't you dare]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE NOTE: I am not rewriting Chapter 30 nor will I re-write any of this story. Please do not ask about this anymore.

"Tai, you have a call on line four."

Tai leaned back slumped in his desk chair, holding the receiver to his ear. His eyes shifted to the phone on his desk, eyeing the fourth button flashing red for him. Whoever it was, he didn't care to talk to them at that moment.

"Take a message," he said, knowing that he sounded incredibly dull. It was just how he felt, how he had been feeling since Sora revealed her news.

"Aye, sir," replied the assistant. He put the receiver back with a sigh before slinking back into his chair again.

Moments later, the door to his office flew open, and the assistant walked in with her hands balled into fists on her hips.

"What's with you, Tai?" she asked, looking adamant in finding an answer. "You haven't been yourself these last couple of days."

"It's nothing," he replied, swinging his chair around to stare at his shelf.

"I've been wondering—ever since the news about your promotion was announced, that you might've changed your mind on what I should call you. You've been wanting me to stop calling you 'Tai'. That's what you're upset about, isn't it?"

Tai let a few seconds pass, waiting to hear what she would say next.

"Well, if that's the case, then I would like to formally apologize, Yagami-san—"

"I'm only messing with you, my dear assistant." Tai spun his chair around to face her again. Her expected reaction humored him and cheered him up, if only by a little bit, and brought him to crack a small smile.

"I'd have to say; you've been acting really moody for someone who just got promoted."

"It's just a lot of news that I have to process, that's all."

Which was true, for the most part. After all, he wasn't the only one moving on to bigger and better things.

It was as though the tables turned on him. Perhaps, even against him. He thought back to the summer before last, when he first got the job offer for the company in Beijing. Sora pushed him to take the offer, in the same vein that he pushed her to take the offer in Paris. He didn't understand the look in her amber eyes back then, nor how she might have felt, until he felt it himself when he pushed her with his full support.

It was when he embraced her as he said that he was proud of her, and then, when he returned home on Wednesday evening as he comforted her while she cried over the phone with Mimi, all while she began to fill the large suitcase opened in the middle of her bedroom floor…

He knew what it meant. He should have realized it back then, that she didn't want him to leave her, because it was the exact feeling he had now, if not, much worse.

"I think I should take the rest of the day off," said Tai, and his assistant finally cracked her own smile from wearing a serious expression.

"I'll be sure to take your messages," she said, before turning around to go back to her desk.

He hadn't made it to lunch time when he left the office, but he needed a chance to clear his head from his thoughts. He sent Sora a message to ask what she was up to, and her reply gave him one less option for his lunch plans:

" _Mimi kidnapped me and took me out to lunch. She's not taking this whole thing very well, but I can't blame her…"_

"Neither can I," Tai muttered to himself.

Tai hopped onto the train, passing by the magazine stand where Aki still was. By that point, they acknowledged each other, and he stared her down as she glared back. But he remembered what Sora wanted, and, just like the few times before, he walked past Aki without a word.

"Got something to say, Taichi?"

Tai stopped in his tracks.

_Really? Now, of all times?_

He turned to Aki at the stand, where she stood with her arms crossed and tapping her toes.

"I know you've been wanting to say something to me," she continued. "So, what are you waiting for?"

"I'd say I do have a few choice words for you," said Tai, now walking towards her. "Not that it's going to change anything."

"Ha!" Aki's foot stopped tapping the ground. "Is that what 'Little Miss Perfect' wanted you to say to me? I knew she had you wrapped around her finger from that night at the bar."

Tai let out a hollow laugh as he remembered that night. The Happy Hour that Sora went to, joined by a friend he merely thought was attractive, to say the least—the friend being Aki. Aki was pretty, a huge flirt, and had never left his side that night. He remembered being intrigued by her company, but he also remembered wondering where Sora had gone off to halfway through the night, and how she ever found herself making friends with someone like Aki.

Especially after what Aki did to her.

"So, how'd you get caught, Aki?" he asked with skepticism, but his question caused her to scoff.

"Somebody must have told you. Was it that green-haired bitch that said something?"

Tai looked at her in confusion. "It was just a guess."

"Fuck off." Aki turned around to face the magazine stand, her back facing Tai. There were no magazines to organize or papers to stack—clearly, she didn't want to say anything more.

Tai decided to keep his mouth shut. But before he turned back, Aki started to speak again.

"The green-haired girl, Lily-chan. She sat in the desk next to Sora's. She was the bitch who ratted me out. I always thought we were the same, in that she was just as jealous as I was of how perfect Sora was. I always snuck a peek at Sora's work, but, being next to her all day long, so did Lily. I should have thought about that when I showed my winning designs to the team."

Tai stayed quiet as Aki turned her head, but still didn't turn around to face him again.

"Lily-chan was mean to Sora, but she was mean to everyone. She was jealous of Sora, but she admired her. That was the difference between her and I."

"What happened to her?" Tai asked.

"Quit. Not sure where she ended up. But I'd quit the hellhole that is  _Haru, Inc.,_  too, if it wasn't for getting fired, anyway."

Would Sora have wanted to know any of this?

Perhaps not with her current state of mind. She had her portfolio back now. She was in the middle of packing up to leave for Paris, excited to move up in her career, but leaving her friends behind, and leaving him…

"It's a shame we didn't get to hang out more," Aki said as Tai finally decided to turn.

"No…" said Tai. "No, it isn't."

* * *

 

There was only one place Tai felt like going to at that moment, and he didn't really think about whether his closest friend was home or not, but he thought giving him a buzz was always worth a shot.

"Playing hooky?" Matt asked over the intercom.

"Let me in already," he said, before hearing another buzz that unlocked the front door. He walked up the stairs to Matt's door and knocked. As soon as Matt opened the door, he stepped back immediately for Tai to walk in.

"Have you eaten yet?" was Matt's next question as Tai kicked his shoes off, dropped the rest of his things, and headed straight to the couch.

"I'm not hungry." Tai sat against the couch with a sigh.

"Clearly, you haven't eaten… Your lunch bag is still heavy."

Tai turned his head to the side to see Matt picking up his lunch bag, lifting it up and down to feel its weight.

"I haven't eaten, either," said Matt. "May I?"

"Go for it."

As Tai turned his head against the couch to stare at the ceiling in his gloom, he heard Matt walking over to the dining table to empty its contents. It was leftover chow mein which he thought he made exceptionally well that night after finding out about his promotion, but being in the mood he was currently in, he just didn't have an appetite.

"Ooh, cookies," said Matt. "I bet Sora made them."

Tai's knee jerk reaction was to sit up and turn around. "Don't you dare—"

Matt already had one cookie in his mouth. Tai frowned, knowing that Matt was as big of a fan of Sora's chocolate chip cookies as he was. Thankfully, he walked over to join Tai on the couch and handed him the bag of cookies without taking another one.

"So...Paris, huh?" Matt asked as they ate them together.

"Yeah. Paris."

All of their friends knew about Sora's new job by then. Sora called her parents right after she told Tai, but she decided to wait to tell everyone else until after she slept on it, and after she visited Bira-sensei's store to drop off the signed contract. She kept Tai updated by text, and then, by group text.

There was a lot of cheer in the replying messages that Tai read, and Sora was all smiles and excitement for the most part, but after he walked into Sora having a that teary phone call with Mimi, he gently took the phone away from Sora to end the call, and held her in his arms to comfort her and tell her that she was making the right decision.

Even if the right decision included breaking up.

"I can't believe she's leaving on Sunday," said Matt.

"Don't remind me," said Tai.

Matt turned his head to him. "Do you really want her to go through with this?"

"How can I say 'no', Matt?" Tai asked back. "This is the biggest break she's ever gotten in her career. I can't stop her from moving forward. Not now."

Matt eyed him curiously. "If this happened two months ago, you would have begged her to stay."

"Yeah, well…" Tai thought back to two months ago, when he met up with Matt, right after his first encounter with Sora. "If this happened two months ago, she would have been on a plane to Paris a day after she got that job offer, and I wouldn't have been able to stop her, anyway."

"What about now? It's obvious that things are different between you two now."

_Better than it's ever been._

"Come on, Tai," Matt went on. "You were even coming up with a plan. Weren't you planning on proposing once you got that promotion—which surprises me to remind you that you haven't told everyone else, yet?"

Tai sighed.

"What does it matter? Everyone's concentrating on Sora leaving soon, anyway. We're all so happy for her, and so is she. Let her have her moment."

Matt picked up another cookie to hand it over to Tai. Tai waved his hand in response to let Matt have it.

"You two are not as selfish as you used to be, at least when it comes to things like this," said Matt as he leaned back into the couch and took a bite. "Sora always wanted this for herself, and we all saw how it went down when she pushed you away. And you, Tai—you moved to Beijing because that's what you thought would be good for you. Then, after that—hell, even if you didn't tell me why, it's obvious why you moved back here."

"I'm not going to make her stay, Matt—if that's what you're trying to get at."

"So, you're really going to drop your plan?"

"I have to, Matt. I'm not going to stand in her way."

There was a clenched feeling in Tai's chest as he began to dwell on the thought. He took another cookie, hoping it would give him some sort of comfort.

"Beijing is only about two thousand miles away from here," Tai continued on. "Paris is almost five times further, and it takes half a day to get there. Sora's going to be there, and I'm going to be here. Who knows how long she'll be there."

"You didn't know how long you'd be in Beijing," said Matt. "If it's anything like what happened with you, she might be back with us sooner than we know it."

Tai sat up and gave him a look. "Do  _you_  want her to stay?"

"Of course, I do, Tai. I'm happy for her, and I'm sad that one of my closest friends is leaving us for a different continent. I'm sure the rest of us feel that way, but that's not the point. Nothing is forever. No one knows how long she'll be in Paris, but no one knew how long you were going to be in Beijing. No one thought you two would ever break up, but no one knew if you would ever get back together. My point is, it's not something you should be worrying about right now—whatever it is you want to do, do it. The Tai I know wouldn't hold back."

"Who said I'm holding anything back?" Tai asked with a grimace.

"I am… and Mimi... "

Tai glared at him.

"...and Izzy… Joe… TK... Kari… Davis..."

"Yeah, yeah, I get the point."

"Aika too… and my bandmates…"

" _Maaatt."_

Matt curled his lips into a smirk, but Tai let out a loud groan and ran his hands through his hair before he leaned back against the couch.

"I only want her to do what's best for herself, and what makes her happy, because that's what matters to me the most," said Tai. Matt stared at him before setting the rest of the bag of cookies on Tai's lap.

"Either you two are no longer selfish, or she's been rubbing off on you this whole time," said Matt. "That's exactly what she said when you left for Beijing."

She still loved him, even back then. Realizing this made him even sadder.

Tai picked up the cookie bag and handed it back to Matt. "I'm only saying this because I love her."

"Are you sure you don't want any more?"

"You can have them."

Without warning, Tai nearly choked as Matt shoved a cookie into his mouth.

"Whether you're being selfish or not, you both have and always will be two of the most stubborn people I have ever known."

"Ya—Yamacch…" Tai began through his coughs. "I hate you."

In the midst of recovering himself, Tai heard a laugh behind him. When he turned to look, he saw that Aika had appeared from Matt's bedroom and was walking around the couch to sit with Matt. She was wearing her panties, along with a long shirt that covered them.

"It got so loud out here, I figured it was you, Tai," she said, taking a seat on Matt's lap and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What are you doing, wearing my favorite shirt?" asked Matt, throwing his arms around her waist.

"I don't know what you're talking about. It's  _my_  favorite."

"I can't believe you're stealing my shirts now."

Aika lifted her head and turned Matt's to face her, then pressed her lips against his. "There. I stole a kiss from you, too."

"Even worse. I can't believe my girlfriend is a thief."

"You know you love it."

Tai stayed silent and grabbed another cookie to munch on. He couldn't help but think about seeing him and Sora as he watched Matt and Aika acting all lovey dovey in front of him. Had it only been him with Sora, they would have acted the same way.

However, if Sora was the one who opened the bedroom door with only a shirt and her panties and saw any other person with Tai in the living room, she would yelp in embarrassment and shut the door again.

"Sora, seriously, don't worry. It's only Matt," Tai remembered saying with a laugh during one instance before.

"You didn't tell me he was home!" she screeched through the door.

"We've lived with him for how long? And we've known him a lot longer."

"I don't care! I'm not decent!"

"It's not like you don't look good. Matt, tell her she looks good."

Matt stared at him, as though he knew it was a wise decision to stay quiet.

"Don't listen to him, Matt! You aren't helping at all, Tai!"

"You really aren't," Matt added. Tai sighed then, and after waiting a few moments of silence, he turned the doorknob which she happened to leave unlocked, and slowly opened the door to peek through. She had just closed a drawer where she found a pair of sweatpants which she already had on.

"You're adorable," said Tai as he approached a grimacing Sora.

"Stupid Tai," she mumbled, and Tai held her in an embrace which indicated she wasn't as upset as he thought she was.

How many more moments like that was he going to have with her?

"You guys are seriously eating cookies before actual food?" Aika asked, bringing Tai back to the present. "How old are you—seven?"

"These aren't just any cookies," Matt said. "They're  _Sora's_ cookies."

"Ooh, really?!" Aika's eyes lit up at the realization, but stopped herself. "Not the point. I'll go get dressed and then we can grab ramen or something."

"Fair enough. We all know Tai is in need of that."

xOx

With Matt and Aika, Tai walked to the ramen shop a block down from Matt's apartment. Although he didn't feel like eating, ramen with all his favorite toppings definitely hit the spot for him.

"Feeling better now, Tai?" Aika asked with her elbow linked with Matt's as they left the shop.

"Ramen  _always_  makes me feel better," he replied with a grin. "I'm so full."

"So am I," added Matt. "Let's walk for a bit."

The three of them walked further down the street, with Tai in front of the other two. His long sleeve dress shirt was enough for him through the chilly weather, and he held his coat swung over one shoulder as he walked. He had no doubt that the coat would be around Sora's shoulders and not over his own had she been with them, even with that poufy jacket with the fake fur that she loved to wear.

The jacket that was a size eight. Tai remembered the very first time he noticed her wearing it, and she laughed at him because of the fact that she had already been wearing it for a month before he realized it. She mentioned something about how it was just a little bit bigger than her normal size just because it felt more comfortable that way.

He found it odd to be remembering that moment as he walked down the street, but it got him to thinking further, especially when he stared at the same jacket earlier that week. If that jacket was a little bit bigger than her normal size…

" _Tai… It's a size six."_

Was she even talking about the jacket?

He saw the number seven in her shoes... and the tag in her gloves were no help at all…

' _One size fits all'… What the hell…?_

" _Tai,"_  Aika called, sounding adamant.

"Hmm?" Tai said, stopping in his tracks and turning to them.

"I only called you three times!" she replied, laughing with Matt.

"He's a space cadet when he's deep in thought about something," said Matt. "Where'd your mind go off to, Tai?"

"Maybe you both can help me with something," Tai said, still thinking. "Sora said she was a 'size six', and it's been driving me crazy trying to figure out what she meant."

"And, why haven't you asked her up front?"

"I guess I wanted to figure it out on my own."

Both Matt and Aika stared at him, eyebrows raised.

"When did she tell you this?"

"Well, it was that day that Yuki showed up, after she left." Tai looked to the side, starting to feel embarrassed. He realized then that he stood in front of a store that displayed jewelry, sparkling against the sunlight. "Davis and Kari were sitting nearby, and Davis had just proposed…"

Tai turned to Matt and Aika, who were both now exchanging glances. Matt pressed his lips together and Aika bit her bottom lip. Both of them appeared amused, but Tai couldn't help but feel lost.

"What is it?" Tai asked.

"Tai," said Matt, biting back a laugh. "I know you've been talking to TK about designs for a certain item."

"Yeah, what about it?"

"Isn't there one thing that you have been trying to figure out all along?"

"Yeah, that's—"

Tai paused as he felt the answer jabbed him right in the nose. Eyes widened with realization, he slowly turned his head back to the storefront window decorated with the sparkling jewelry.

It was why he had been holding her hand to study it. He had gotten the idea from Izzy once and just followed his idea, thinking he could figure it out the same way. His mind hadn't been all there when Sora told him up front, just after they had gotten Yuki to leave…But Kari had just mentioned it to Davis then, and then Sora called it out at that time. And then, again, while they were talking about Natsu—and the sports car the other night.

Size six.

It was the size of her ring finger.

There was no wall to smack his forehead against.

"My goooddd, Yagami, you idiot!" Tai yelled as pressed his palms against his eyes. "How could I have missed that?! It was right in front of me this whole time!"

"Tai—"

"Not only did she hint at it, she said it  _right to my face!_  I am a  _complete moron!_ "

" _Tai._ "

"How the hell is she still in love with me when I can't even—AAGH!"

It wasn't Matt, but Aika who smacked the back of his head. Maybe it was the heat of the moment, or the weight of guilt and humiliation, but that hit felt harder than anything he had ever felt.

He really needed that.

"Th…Thanks Aika…" said Tai, lowering his voice to a calm as he rubbed his head helplessly.

"Admittedly, my girlfriend does have a mighty swing," said Matt.

"Feeling better now?" Aika said again, this time with a sly grin. Tai stared at her with a frown.

"I guess so… Lesson learned—never get into a fight with Aika."

Tai went back to Matt's place to hang out for a little bit before Aika had to leave for her gig rehearsals, and Matt back to the studio to record.

"If you need a pick-me-up, you'll always be invited to my shows, Tai," she said, giving him a tight hug.

"Thanks, Aika," he replied with a smile as he hugged back.

"Mine, too, Tai," added Matt, staring him down.

"I know…"

Sora said they were supposed to go together when the time came. Tai couldn't stop thinking about it, and Matt must have sensed it, given that he held back any more snark he might have been saving up for that topic.

The three of them walked out together, and Matt turned to Tai as Aika went her way.

"You still going to talk to TK, after your revelation?" Matt asked him.

"I guess we'll see," said Tai, still uncertain, and Matt walked closer to him, his hands tucked into his jean pockets.

"You know, you can't stay away from each other for too long. You both can make do whenever you're apart. I just can't imagine you ever being happy if you two decide to keep it that way. Think about that before she leaves."

Then, Matt held his hand out, and Tai knew what he was waiting for. Tai threw his palm against Matt's to do the crazy handshake he convinced Matt to do, then ended it with an embrace before they both parted ways.

* * *

 

When Tai arrived home, he heard Mimi's chipper voice coming from upstairs, and knew that Sora was there, too.

"I'm home!" he yelled as he closed the door.

"Welcome back!" came Mimi's voice, but Sora was the first to appear from the stairs. She looked radiant as she always did, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw him. She met him at the bottom of the stairs, greeting him with a kiss and a hug.

"Hey, Tai," she said when they pulled apart, and she touched his hair to straighten it. "You're back early. You okay?"

_No, I'm not._

"I'm fine, Sora," he lied. She searched his eyes with worry but ended up giving him a sad smile.

"Well, Friday night was supposed to be the last dinner at Mimi's, but everyone's schedules got tied up, so I'll be going around to visit everyone tomorrow and Saturday."

"That makes sense, since your flight is on Sunday morning, anyway."

Three more nights with her.

_That's it, huh…?_

Tai heard a whimper, and he and Sora turned to Mimi who had tears streaming down her face. Sora rushed over to her to hold her in comfort.

"You were supposed to be my bakery girl!" Mimi wailed, and Sora laughed while gently rubbing Mimi's arm in comfort.

"Oh, Meems, you know I was never going to be that," said Sora with her soothing tone.

"I know, but you being so far away means that it's no longer possible!"

It was just like Sora, to comfort her friends before herself. She even gave Izzy a comforting hug when he arrived for Mimi.

"You are going to keep in contact with us, right?" Izzy asked somberly. "Mimi will never stop complaining if you don't."

"She's always complaining," said Tai, snaking his arm behind Sora's waist to hold her close.

Sora did the same, holding him tightly. She didn't say a word, but he could tell, just how much she was trying to keep herself together in that moment.

"Oh, stop it, Izzy!" said Mimi, lightly smacking Izzy's shoulder. She had stopped crying, but her eyes were still watering. "We're going to be right there with her at the airport on Sunday. Don't you dare start your goodbyes now!"

Sora gave Mimi and Izzy another hug, along with Tai before the couple left for the evening. As soon as Tai closed the front door, he turned to Sora, who held her head in her hands as she walked up the stairs. He followed her and joined her in the hallway. Watching her tremble and hearing the sound of her sniffles told him that she couldn't hold her sadness in any longer.

"Hey, Sora…" Tai said gently, taking her into his arms. He always hated to see her cry. If he couldn't find any meaningful words to say, the best he could do was wrap his arms around her and hold her tight as she cried into his shirt.

"I really hate goodbyes," came her muffled voice.

"You know it's nothing like that," said Tai, remembering Matt's words. "This isn't forever, you know. We're all still going to be here for you."

"Tai…" She lifted her head from his chest to meet his eyes, her tears glistening in her eyes. "How can you be so perfect?"

"M…Me? Perfect?" Tai couldn't help but laugh. He was the guy who ate cookies before a meal. The guy who freaked out over the topic of marriage and nearly died when he saw her in a wedding dress. The guy wracked his brain over what the hell she meant by 'size'.

The guy who is so head over heels in love with her, he returned home to be with her only to let her leave him.

"I'm not perfect at all, Sora," was all he could say. All the words he had been wanting to say seemed to disappear from his mind.

"You're not even boasting about that—I'm impressed," she said, laughing as she blinked her tears away. "I'm sorry for crying like this."

"Don't talk like that." Tai lifted his hand up to caress her cheek, still feeling the pain in his heart.

"I know you hate it. I do, too."

"You can always cry in front of me."

"Tell you what—This will be the last night I cry until I get on that plane on Sunday."

"Sora…"

She shook her head. "I promise you. I'm supposed to be happy about this job. It's probably one of the most incredible things that's ever happened to me. I want to be happy."

Sora let a few more tears stream down her cheeks as she cupped her hand on his cheek. A hand to hold him for comfort, even as his heart continued to break.

"I don't want either of us to be sad about this, okay? Not when you and I have to say goodbye…"

_Dammit, Sora._

If he couldn't find the words to tell her, all he knew how to do was show her. Tai fought back the sting from his own eyes as he moved to push his lips against hers. Even as she was caught off guard, she fervently kissed him back with the soft, sweet lips that he knew he was going to miss. He heard her whimper softly, with her tears flowing freely, but her kisses hard and fast.

He led her towards his room, never wanting her lips to part from his for too long. His body stayed close to hers as they approached the doorframe, their clothes slipping from their bodies, one by one. It pained him to think about what was to come when it was time to part.

Just as he couldn't bear the thought, Sora stopped them right before entering his room, pressing herself against him and lifting herself up for his kisses. Tai knew what to do next, when she let him lift her from her thighs as she held on to the back of his neck. He carried her to his bed, her body latched onto his when they fell in bed together, her skin feeling cold but he had every urge in his mind to warm her up.

His lips met hers again as she lay on her back, her hands running wild on his chest and around his arms, before she trailed one down to his pants. He let out a moan between kisses as she stroked, his mouth hungrily falling back onto hers with his hand pushing on her breast. Her soft whimpers were different now, as she slipped his pants off then, her hand leading him down to her, encouraging him to thrust.

Hearing his name in her exhale told him how much she yearned for him, but he gave her a smirk as he rocked with her slowly. He teased her back as he breathed her name softly to drive her crazy, but he knew that her vocal response with her hands tugging at his hair and the back of his neck—she would drive him insane. Faster and deeper he went, the sweet sound of her voice on his name louder with each cry, her nails digging deeper with each thrust.

Sora was no longer crying, although neither of them could utter any words as Tai rolled to lay beside her, both of them catching their breaths. She was the first to move again, rolling herself up to lay on her stomach and lean on his chest, wanting his eyes to fall upon her amber gaze, which slowly lit up as her lips curled into a soft smile. The sadness was still there, but he knew she didn't want to fuss with it from that point on and the rest of her final days in Japan.

Tai lifted her chin with his finger to kiss her again. Quietly, they both cooled down, and she rested her head on his chest, her arm around him as her breathing steadied. He stroked her hair mindlessly before falling asleep soon after.

He woke up when his alarm went off Friday morning, and found them both in the same position. Sora slept peacefully on him, her arm still around his torso. It only surprised him when he nudged her arm that she tightened her grip on him.

"Cold…" she muttered under her breath. "I'm so cold…"

They had fallen asleep bare naked, the comforter only covering their legs. She wasn't shivering, but her skin was still cold to the touch.

Tai sat up, though only to pick up the comforter and cover them both, and Sora nuzzled closer to his chest.

He lay there with her for a while, not wanting to wake her up, not wanting to move, not wanting to leave her side. He could feel the warmth underneath the blanket, with Sora cozy at his side, but it was then that he had begun to realize, what it truly meant to feel cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm posting a new update without replying to my reviews again. Forgive me, I'm still trying pick my life back up after life's most recent hardship. I promise to reply as soon as I can.
> 
> Did you guys know I've been posting fics for a whole year now? I am humbled to be here and sharing my writing with you. Thank you for reading this fic, and any of my other fics if you have.
> 
> So here we had.. Aki. Matt. Cookies. Flippin' size six. Sora...
> 
> I got a kick out of the cookies scene here, because of what happened with Sora's cookies in canon. But, I tried putting the little detail about Tai's selfishness vs. offering cookies he normally eats without sharing.
> 
> Next chapter is... well... I'll keep it under wraps. :) Just note the importance of 'home'. If you've been taking notes of hints, you might have an idea of how this will end.
> 
> I'll miss saying this.
> 
> Stay warm at heart <3


	34. [there it is]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> final chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> note: don't cry.

It was raining hard late Sunday afternoon.

Sora took Joe's offer to drive them all to the airport. Next to Joe in the front sat Mika, of course, and in the back row of the SUV sat Mimi and Izzy. Sora sat in the middle next to Tai, resting her hand on the armrest between them. Her head was turned toward the window on her other side as she watched the watery beads streaking down in front of the familiar streets flying past.

Not everyone was able to make it to the airport to see her leave, but Sora made sure to visit them beforehand, anyway. Davis and Kari had their plans, and TK was buried in a mess of exams. Matt just said that he couldn't go, but he didn't have to say why. Sora knew it was just as hard for him as it was for her.

Even when she tried to distract herself from the sadness of saying goodbye to the people she loved, including the people with her in the van, she felt just as sad realizing that she was leaving those streets behind - the streets that made her the person she hoped to be. These were the street she grew up on, formed friendships, fought whatever the universe threw at her, in betrayals, pain, and heartache, not to mention, she fell in love…

It amazed her how quickly this had to happen. Then again, it was just how the universe played its game, and this was another thing it wanted to throw. She had been telling herself as she spent the last week with her parents and her friends, that Paris was a wonderful thing. Finally, she could work how she wanted, design clothes, and even present her own kimono designs to the world, all on her own terms.

She felt Tai's hand hold hers over the armrest. She turned to him to meet his tired eyes and soft smile, his smile that brought warmth to her but broke her heart at the same time. He had been reassuring her how incredible this opportunity was for her. Everyone knew it. She knew it. So did Tai. It was the right thing for her.

Before she knew it, Joe pulled to a stop on the curb. Every door in the van flew open as they all climbed out. Tai already had an umbrella opened over Sora by the time she stepped out. Joe ran to the back to grab her three pieces of luggage, those of which surprised her that she was able to pack them up in such a short amount of time.

He and Mika decided to wait in the car while the others helped Sora check her bags in, making

Mika the first to hug her. Sora always wished that she spent more time with her, of all the years they'd known each other. Then, after Joe gave Sora the handle to one of her suitcases, he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I guess the weather isn't too different in Paris, then," Joe said, surveying her favorite jacket, beanie, and scarf attire.

"It's still cold, and it still sucks," Sora replied with a frown, but Joe chuckled as his eyes began to water when he smiled.

"You might be far away, but don't be a stranger, Sora. You'll be great out there."

Sora smiled back and refused to say anything. She remembered her promise to herself not to cry.

On the other hand, Mimi had been sobbing nonstop, from the moment Joe picked her and Izzy up from their house. Izzy took one luggage handle and Tai took another for Sora to take the third, and all three of them with Mimi walked into the airport together.

The line for the flight check-in was long but moved fairly quickly. Tai stood in line with Sora, both of them silent, but neither of them knowing what more could be said. She noticed his cheerful and encouraging attitude the last few days, and she knew he was acting that way to cheer her up; but she also knew he was trying to cheer himself up just the same. He had also been more standoffish than he was, but he still held her close and kissed her, the embrace always long, the kiss always lingering.

_This is the right thing for me… It has to be._

Sora checked in two of her rolling luggage, and held her duffel bag and purse on each shoulder to carry onto the plane.

"You made it right on time, young lady," said the attendant with a smile. "Five minutes more and we would have had to count you as a 'late check-in'. Not in a rush, then, are you?"

 _Not at all,_ Sora thought, but laughed lightly in response to the attendant. As the previous night replayed in her mind, she turned to Tai, who took her duffel bag to throw onto his shoulder, and took his hand to hold to rejoin with Izzy and Mimi.

* * *

_Sora hadn't slept at all. By Saturday evening, she had finished boxing up most of her room with things she couldn't decide whether she wanted to have shipped to her in Paris, or to just get rid of them. She already decided to get rid of the bed, especially since Bira-sensei's place for her was fully furnished._

_The fireplace was already going with its full, roaring flames. At first, Sora had talked about watching a movie with him. Any movie would have been fine - she didn't care at that point whether there was a surprise scene in the cold to taunt her; the night was all about being with him for as long as she possibly could. But then, he arrived from the kitchen with a grin, holding a bottle of beer for him, and a bottle of cider for her._

_She laughed as she took the bottle and tapped it with his. "Just like 'old times', right, Tai?"_

" _Why not go full circle with this?" was his reply. "Look how far we've come. Now you get to work your dream job, as partners with your dream boss, who, by the way, looks nothing like you."_

_Sora looked at him incredulously. "You don't think so?"_

" _YOU think so? Just because your hair is the same and her eyes might be the same color, I really don't see it."_

" _Even my parents were surprised when they met her!"_

" _I've argued about this with Davis and Kari. I know my Sora."_

His  _Sora._

" _Stupid Tai," she said, giggling._

_The night continued this way between them, just talking and laughing, complete with their banter. They each had a few more drinks as they talked about their silly work stories, and what they found funny about their friends._

_At one point in the night, when the conversation paused for a moment and she set her cider down, he leaned forward to kiss her. She tasted the sweetness of the cider, along with the bitterness of the beer on his soft lips, making the mix oddly fitting in the grand scheme of things. She kissed him back, their kisses long and hard as though they were meant to be their last. When they pulled apart, she watched his eyes that clearly showed his pain, perhaps his final plea for her to change her mind. Even though he never said anything._

_If he did, what would she say?_

_She leaned against him, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. The silence remained for a while as they sat together that way, the fire still softly crackling next to them. Then, she felt Tai breathe a sigh._

" _Did you want me to get you another cider?"_

" _Mm-mm," she said, closing her eyes, even though she knew she wasn't going to fall asleep._

" _You always liked to fall asleep close to the fireplace, Sora," he said, and she knew he must have been staring at her then._

" _There will always be another fireplace somewhere. I know Bira-sensei made sure my apartment in Paris has one. There just won't be another you..."_

" _Ah…" Tai said nothing else. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his lips on her forehead before resting still._

_Sora opened her eyes, feeling his breathing steady, matching hers, but he might have fallen asleep._

_He still didn't say what she knew he wanted to._

* * *

The walk to the security checkpoint was faster than she had hoped. As soon as she stopped walking, Mimi flung her arms around her, with no sign that her tears would ever stop.

"We'll talk every, single, day, and I want you to tell me everything," Mimi said with her sniffles. Sora smiled sadly.

"Just like we always have, Meems," she replied, hugging Mimi back.

"I'll ship you some apple pies, too. Don't go falling in love with the baked goods in Paris, although, I know that might be a challenge."

"Yours will always be my number one."

"Oh, I  _hate_ this!"

"Let the rest of us say our parting words, honey," said Izzy from behind. "Although admittedly it is difficult."

Mimi sniffled again as she and Sora let go. That was when Izzy brought her into his warm, bear hug.

"It's okay, Izzy," said Sora, feeling her throat tighten as they embraced. "I'm going to miss you, too."

Then, Izzy stood back to stand by Mimi to hold her in comfort, leaving Tai to stand in front of Sora. She expected him to hand her duffel bag over, only to drop it and pull her into his arms ever so tightly.

"Tai…"

Sora hugged back before he found her lips to kiss her one more time. Whatever he wanted to say, he was telling her in the way he held her, in the way his kisses deepened with every touch.

She didn't know what to say.

"I'll always be here for you, Sora," he said when their lips pulled apart. "Always."

"You know it's the same for you, too, right?" Sora said, now fighting back tears.

"I know."

Tai pulled away, chuckling a little. It made her laugh, too, even knowing how sad they both were. He picked up her duffel bag and she took it from him, before he walked back to join Mimi and Izzy.

"Take care of yourself, Tai," Sora told him - the only words she could muster without crying.

"You too, Sora. Call me if you ever need anything."

He turned around, and Mimi blew an air kiss and waved before turning around with Tai and Izzy. The further they walked, seeing Tai's shoulders slumped, Izzy patting his back, the harder it hit Sora.

This was their goodbye.

She turned around herself, finally letting herself shed a few tears. She quickly wiped them away, then carried her bags to go through security, which led her to the terminal, to the waiting room of the gate where she would soon board her flight to Paris.

* * *

It didn't take too long to board the plane. She ended up walking around the terminal gates to check out the stores and restaurants, anything to distract herself. She was distracted enough to find herself yawning a few times, which reminded her of the all-nighter she pulled the night before.

At the first bell to alert her for boarding, she walked toward her gate, and stopped as a young woman with long, green hair passed her by. She thought she was hallucinating at first, but the woman slowed her steps before she turned around and gasped.

"Sora?" said the woman.

"L-Lily?! What are you doing here?"

"Bira-sensei didn't tell you? I'm her new assistant."

"Oh, that's right-!"

Sora remembered Bira-sensei mentioning a new hire, and that Sora might be happy when she first met her. Of course, in Bira-sensei fashion, she teased Sora about who she hired. Sora didn't realize it would be Lily, who appeared relaxed before her now, as opposed to stressed and high-strung when they last worked together.

"Congratulations, Lily-chan. You'll love her. That's great we'll be working together again."

Lily averted her eyes, as though she was hesitant. "I didn't think you would be too excited to see me, after what happened."

"What do you mean? Oh…" Sora's smile faltered. "You mean at  _Haru, Inc._ But, it's okay, Lily. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I still feel horrible for you about it. But I'm glad the portfolio fell back into your hands the way it did. Serves them right. Aki deserved what she got."

Sora smiled, though she wondered if Lily knew more to that story.

She decided not to ask.

"So, are you boarding the flight to Paris, now, too?" Sora asked.

"Actually, my flight's in an hour," Lily replied. "It's going to be nonstop - I think it's about twelve and a half hours."

"Oh, wow. Mine is sixteen with one stopover. I guess you'll get there before I do."

Lily smiled.

"I can't wait," she said.

Sora smiled back, wishing she had the same feeling, excited as she was.

Boarding the flight was a breeze, except when Sora searched for the ticket that she swore she put in her wallet—of all times, her wallet had to be a mess. Fortunately, she found it folded up in one of the card slots. After she packed her duffel bag away in an overhead bin over the seat she chose, she found her eyes drooping. The plane window showed lights in the evening sky, the rain still heavy, but she figured that falling asleep before the flight took off would help ease her pain of leaving behind the place she had always known as her home.

She had gone in and out of sleep a few times until she felt so awake that she couldn't sleep anymore. She sat up, hearing the soft air around her and feeling the plane gently bob up and down as it flew through the air. A flight attendant passed by then, handing her a warm towel, which she gladly took. It surprised her, as she wiped the towel on her face, just how quickly the warmth disappeared and the towel turned cold.

After she exited the plane and transferred to another flight, it was then she heard a loud coo, and it was a baby in an aisle a few rows down. Following was a feminine laugh, which Sora presumed was the baby's mother. She smiled as she remembered her final visit at the Yagami house, where she said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Yagami, along with Davis and Kari.

" _I didn't want to tell you this, Sora, now that you're moving to Paris," said Kari, softly rubbing her belly, and fiddling with her engagement ring with her other hand as she talked. "And I know how much work it must have been being Mimi's, but I was considering asking you to be my Maid of Honor, too. Davis is over the moon about Tai being Best Man, but… you know…"_

" _Oh, Kari…" Sora said, smiled as she felt touched by the thought. "Don't worry about it. Even if I can't be, you can always ask me for help and for anything else."_

Sora knew for sure that she was going to fly back for the wedding, and hearing the baby in the rows behind now laughing joyfully, she could imagine Kari being a wonderful mother in the end.

As Sora looked around the nearby rows, she saw that the other passengers were either sleeping or watching in-flight entertainment with their headphones on. It was then that she remembered the neatly bound notebook pages TK gave her to read, which she packed in the duffel bag. She got up from her seat, stretching out her arms from sitting for so long, and fished out the pages from her bag before putting it back into the bin.

* * *

" _Think of it as good airplane reading," TK said jokingly when he gave it to her. "I've refined the character descriptions and included the symbols each human character has that represents their strongest trait."_

" _I can't believe you've been writing an adventure story starring all of us," Sora replied with a laugh. "My only question is why Davis isn't in here?"_

" _Oh, I've got plans for him in the second part."_

_Sora looked at TK with a raised brow before scanning through each character's pages. Tai's character symbol was of the sun._

"' _Courage,' huh?" Sora asked. "Sometimes, I wonder about that, though."_

" _Believe me, Sora, we all have."_

_She browsed through the rest - Matt's was 'Friendship', Mimi's was 'Sincerity', Izzy's was 'Knowledge', and Joe's was 'Reliability'._

" _Hey," Sora's brows furrowed then. "Why doesn't mine have a symbol yet?"_

" _I'm still working on it," said TK with a grin, a grin that she knew all too well, but not normally from him._

_She continued looking at the last two. "Of course, you're 'Hope'," Sora said with a smile. Lastly, she looked at Kari's, which was 'Light', and noticed the symbol for her._

" _I asked Davis if I could use it, and he was cool about it," TK replied._

" _I'm glad you two are getting along."_

" _Yeah, well, things are looking up in some ways. I just can't believe you're leaving so soon."_

_TK looked to the ground, and Sora knew that look from him all too well._

" _I'll miss you, TK," said Sora, and TK blinked tears as he looked back at her._

" _I'll miss you even more."_

* * *

Sora found droplets of tears forming on the opened page as she tried reading through it on the plane. They landed on the page where TK scribbled the description of the character inspired by her. She still couldn't believe him one bit about why he hadn't created a symbol for her yet, but as she read the description, she saw the special trait that he had written her to have.

It was 'Love'.

At that moment, if there were any others, she couldn't see how he came up with that at all.

The plane began its descent soon after, and Sora noticed the sky lightened up as best as it could, though the gray clouds were still present. It was raining in Paris, too.

Upon landing, picked up her phone and noticed the time—almost reaching 7:00 am. Her phone had already adjusted to local time. Paris was trying to welcome her.

Passengers began to unlock their seatbelts and rise to get their luggage from the bins, and that was when she noticed someone in front of her stand up, his hair short, shaggy, and blond.

_Matt?_

The guy turned, and Sora felt the swelling in her heart stop and deflate as she realized it wasn't him. It wasn't like anyone would travel halfway across the world for her like that, anyway.

Still, her last visit at Matt's apartment entered her mind as she grabbed her duffel bag before she exited the plane.

* * *

" _You're really going through with this, aren't you?" Matt asked her. "You've decided, then?"_

" _Yes, Matt, I have," Sora said._

" _Are you sure you sat on this decision long enough?"_

" _I have," she repeated, feeling déjà vu as though they had this conversation before. "Are you going to tell me next to listen to what my heart is telling me?"_

_Matt smiled. "You've always had a good memory, except maybe when you're drunk. But, that means that you probably remember how you felt about Tai leaving for Beijing."_

" _Don't remind me."_

" _How could I not, if it's the same thing now, except you two switched places?"_

" _Matt, all feelings aside—ALL of them—"_   _Sora paused, hearing her voice quiver. "I let him go. He left. Both of us decided it was for the best then, just as it is now."_

" _Only to remind you that it really wasn't, and that idiot flew back here knowing that. And as much as you denied it, you knew it all along. You're both trying to make a decision based on what's right for the other. But what about you, Sora? What do you really want?"_

" _Things aren't that simple, Matt! How am I supposed to know for sure that everything will work out in the end?"_

_Sora sat on his couch after pacing back and forth. She leaned forward and held her head in her hands, stopping the tears she felt were fighting to come out._

" _Hey…" Matt bent to her side in front of the couch. "If there's anything I learned about being around you two stubborn fools, it's that just because something is hard, doesn't mean that it won't work out."_

_Sora removed her hands from her face, revealing a frown to Matt. Matt cracked a smile in return, as he lifted a bag with one cookie inside._

" _You should have this," he said. "I told Tai that I ate them all, but I really just wanted it for myself until now. These cookies cheer him up, you know."_

* * *

As Sora waited to claim her luggage at the carousel, trying to listen to her heart, she wondered if this is what she really wanted, after all.

From the windows of the airport, the clouds were beginning to part outside and the rays of sunlight pierced through. It was morning, a brand-new day in Paris, a brand-new start for Sora. Once she retrieved her luggage, she was supposed to look for a man in a black suit with a sign that read her name, and she was to be taken to her new flat. And then, after she settled in for a week, she would begin her new life as the fashion designer she had always dreamed of being.

But she still wanted Tai by her side.

Reaching for her phone, she swiped through her contacts to dial his number. It still frustrated her—why couldn't he say anything to her? Worst of all, why couldn't  _she_ really tell him how she felt? The sky was clearing up outside, but the weather was only going to get colder. Winter was right around the corner. Was she really going to survive that without—

Sora heard the ring back tone as she placed the phone on her ear, but shortly after, a familiar ringtone played behind her.

She froze, wondering if she was hallucinating again. The tone continued to sound as the ringtone played over and over. When she turned around, she came face-to-face with the tall, messy brown-haired Tai, who stopped both sounds as he answered his phone.

"You forgot something," he said, with Sora still in utter shock as he walked towards her.

"What did I forget?" she asked, her soft words barely sounding out.

As he stopped in front of her, he ended the call between them, both of them tucking their phones away. Then, he held out a rectangular piece of plastic between his fingers.

"My credit card…"

"You thought I was asleep when you thought you were being sneaky," he said. "I was watching you the whole time."

Sora dropped her duffel bag and her purse to the floor. The tears were already flowing down her cheeks.

"That's all? That's the reason you flew all the way here?"

"There was something else you forgot," he said, placing the card into her hand as he held it with both of his. "You forgot that I would chase you down if you ever ran. And that's what I did."

"Stupid Tai," she said, laughing as she cried her eyes out, his chocolate brown eyes staring back with adoration.

Then, he cupped his hands on either side of her cheeks. "I was apart from you for so long when I was in Beijing, but it took me a few steps from Joe's van to realize that I couldn't be apart from you like that ever again."

"...How did I not see you on the plane?"

"Your flight was booked, but there was room in the flight that left an hour after yours."

 _Lily's flight…_  Sora thought to herself. It explained why he was there before she arrived. She couldn't believe this fool, this stubborn fool in love with her.

Just as much as she was with him.

"Tai…" she began, blinking away more tears as she took hold of his cheeks. "I love you. I love you so much. But my job is going to be here in Paris. You're going to be in Tokyo. Do you realize how long the flight is going to be back and forth to Tokyo? Kari's going to need you, and Davis still has you as best man. I've been wanting this so much, but I want you, too. How are we going to make this work between us?"

Tai's gaze never left her. "Say it again, Sora," he said.

She blinked. "Say 'what,' again?"

"You know what I meant."

She knew what he meant. With all her heart, she knew that she did. She smiled at him, her heart swelling.

"I love you. So much."

"There it is." He kisses her deeply, passionately, tears still flowing from her eyes. How crazy she would have been not to kiss back.

"Tell me what you want," he said, wiping her tears as he smiled at her now, the warmth in it returning.

"I want to be head fashion designer, design only the best for the world to love, but… I want to be with you in Tokyo, and be by your side."

"Go on."

"I want a house with you, and I want to see you get that sports car. An actual sports car. Maybe another one if you want, but you'd better not start a collection or anything to crowd the garage or the yard space."

Tai laughed. "I'll take it. What else?"

"I want… I want to raise a family and live with you as my… my one and only, until we're old and gray."

"That's more like it."

They kissed again, and then they fell into each other's tight embrace, Sora basking in the warmth she was afraid of losing forever.

"I know you want this too, Tai," she said, then hesitated before she said more, as cheesy as it sounded in her head. "You are the king of my heart, and I don't want to give it to anyone else."

Sora blushed, and Tai laughed. Hard. Then, he pulled away from her, only to kiss her again.

"Spoken like the charming queen that a king can never live without. You can love your job, and you can love me, too. Beijing wasn't forever, so Paris doesn't have to be, either. We'll make it work for you to have both. For  _us_ to have both. Then, eventually, we'll have that house, and we'll raise our Natsu…"

"Our Natsu, huh?" she said, feeling the happiest she's ever been. The tears continued to stream down, but she didn't care anymore. "We'll make it work."

"I love you, too, Sora," he said. "No matter what, I will love you, always."

"Always," she repeated, her lips melting into his once more.

.

.

.

* * *

.

.

.

- **C** olors  **i** n  **A** fter-

.

.

.

Winter wasn't as bad as Sora thought, after all.

Tai ended up taking the week off to help Sora settle into her flat. Withstanding the weather, they visited Paris's main attractions, including the Louvre, the Arc du Triomphe, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. They had dinner in the Eiffel Tower, and Sora made sure they went to Disneyland so that Tai would shut up about it. She admitted in the end, after Tai coerced her, that she had a lot of fun, too.

She also visited all the cafes in Paris that she could, to get a taste of Parisian coffee and decide which place brewed her favorite. One of the cafes offered slices of apple pie, which she and Tai shared. When they each took a piece, they sat quietly for a while as they chewed, Tai wearing a pondering expression while she thought about the taste.

"It's not as good as Mimi's, isn't it?" Sora asked in a hushed voice.

"Yeah, it's not," Tai replied.

After that, they agreed to try to do what Bira-sensei did for many weekends. They took turns to fly to each other every other weekend. Sora grew to love Paris, and Tai warmed up to it each time he visited, but they both agreed that it wasn't as great of a city as Tokyo was to them.

Whenever Sora visited Tokyo, she made it a point to visit her parents as well as Tai's, especially to check on Kari. Mimi also made it so that her monthly dinners fell on a day that Sora was in town, and Sora was happy to see everyone there together, including TK. It even made Mimi's Christmas party that year even better, even if Sora had to wear her new Christmas elf-bakery maid outfit to the party.

Sora knew this was an adjustment for her, travelling between Tokyo and Paris, but as far working for  _Birahana Headquarters_ , it was a job she absolutely loved. She had her own office she had the pleasure of decorating, and she felt like a lot like Tai, taking phone calls for arranging meetings for Bira-sensei and representing the brand in meetings and conference calls. She even had her own assistant.

Bira-sensei was technically still her boss, but her projects assignments always felt like a collaboration, and Sora always enjoyed helping Bira-sensei create new designs while also preparing for their first fashion show in February.

"I hope you're ready, Sora," Bira-sensei told her as Sora stood on the other side of Bira-sensei's desk. "We're releasing three collections for the fall. One of them is yours. Have you thought of what to call it?"

The name had been dancing in her mind for the weeks after getting her portfolio back. The design of her kimonos that had the typical warm colors of fall, complemented with the bright colors that the leaves turn that in comfort, reminded her of summer. She couldn't help but remember her date with Tai in Inokashira Park, where she was certain this idea stemmed from.

"Colors," Sora said. "Colors in Autumn."

Bira-sensei smiled widely. "Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous."

No matter how much Bira-sensei sang her praises, Sora was still surprised that the fashion show in mid-February was a success. Sora's desk phone rang off the hook, with fellow designers, retailers, among others calling for deals and contracts for both Bira-sensei and Sora. Even so, the two of them told their assistants to take messages for them, only so that they could run into each other's offices to shout with glee and dance around in celebration. Sora couldn't believe how high she was riding on her dream job, and she had no idea how much better it could get after that.

It was a good feeling to travel back to Japan with, especially right before Davis and Kari's wedding. They decided to have the wedding about two months before their baby was born. When she arrived back to Tai's house, she was met with Tai wearing a suit and tie for a different reason, smiling as he held a bouquet of roses.

"I feel bad for not making it to your show, Sora, but I thought we needed to celebrate," he said.

Sora melted, but she found herself pushing Tai onto the couch, setting the bouquet on the table.

"Sora… you must be hungry," he said, sounding confused, but she was already sitting over him, undoing his tie.

"Depends on what you mean by that," she replied, her lips pecking his neck. He laughed, and Sora knew he was being tickled by her.

"I made dinner…mmm—" he added as her hands ran through his hair. "...You like eggplant parmesan, right?"

"Dinner will have to wait," she told him with a smile, causing him to smirk back before her lips crashed against his.

Kari and Davis's wedding happened the next afternoon, in a much smaller garden than Mimi and Izzy's wedding, but a venue that was equally as gorgeous. From what Sora saw throughout her visits and from what Tai told her, the couple was surprisingly calm about planning the wedding. It showed at the ceremony itself, as Sora watched Kari glowing in her beautiful dress, a dress that complemented her baby bump as she walked down the aisle with her dad, with Tai's huge smile on his face and Davis trying not to look nervous.

The usual suspects sat in the rows of chairs, including Matt, Aika, Joe, and Mika. Sora sat next to Izzy and Mimi, who was already crying her eyes out. Sora smiled as she held Mimi in comfort, knowing at some point in the ceremony she was going to break, too.

However, when the officiant announced the couple to begin taking their vows, and Davis and Kari held each other's hands, Kari let out a sudden gasp.

"You okay?" Sora watched Davis mouth to her, and Kari nodded.

It only got worse when Kari began to repeat her vows.

"I, Hikari, take thee… water… broke. My water just broke."

Mimi gasped the loudest in the audience as Sora held her hand to her mouth.

"What?" Davis asked, frozen.

"What?!" Tai asked with widened eyes.

Sora jumped out of her chair, rushing over to Kari, who was bending over in pain as she held her belly.

"We need to get you to the hospital," said Sora, holding Kari at her side to guide her when they hurried down the aisle.

"I... I do, Davis!" Kari cried suddenly in a rush. "I do!"

"Me, too, Kari!" He said, leaving the officiant at the altar with a confused face as Tai and the rest of the wedding party rushed after them. "I do, back! Hurry up and say it, Priest!"

"Uhh—"

"Let's just all agree we witnessed and called it!" said Davis when he rushed to Kari's other side, and Sora stopped to let Davis help Kari the rest of the way.

"I agree," said Kari. "I love you, hubby!"

"Love you back,  _waifu!"_  He gave her a quick kiss, both of them sharing a grin. "Now let's get Kira out of your belly!"

Sora stayed back to calm the guests down, and she knew right away that Tai didn't want to stay, judging by the panicked look on his face.

"I'll meet you at the hospital," Sora told him, holding both of his hands. "I'm sure the baby wants to meet her uncle first."

He gave her a soft kiss in thanks, then Sora watched him as he joined with his parents to leave the garden.

After the other guests left the venue, Sora joined the remainder of the friend group and hopped into Joe's van to get to the hospital. They rush to the emergency room, where doctors and nurses smiled and greeted Joe as they passed by.

Mrs. Yagami walked out from the large doors. The group gathered around her, waiting in suspense.

"Kari's doing great. The baby's here," she said with a smile, tears glistening in her eyes. "My granddaughter is born."

Aika gasped as Mimi clapped her hands in delight. Sora let out a huge happy sigh as everyone smiled in relief.

"Sora," Mrs. Yagami said then. "Tai wants to see you."

Sora looked over to the others, all who nodded at her with understanding.

When Sora arrived in the hospital room, she saw Davis and Kari holding each other, Kari smiling as Davis appeared to show his tears.

"You were amazing," he told Kari.

It was heartwarming to watch them, but what she saw next to them sent her heart aflutter. Tai was there, cradling a new little bundle of light in his arms. She was already bathed and warmly wrapped in a cotton pink blanket.

"Look at how her eyes sparkle like yours, Kari," Tai said in a hush, smiling at his little niece.

"Sora, come see her," Kari said.

"She's beautiful," Tai added.

Sora looked at the newborn over Tai's shoulder, watching her face twitch as she scrunched and cooed.

Tai laughed at her. "That's the angry Kari face. Already giving me attitude, are you?"

"Oh, stop, Tai," Kari said with her gentle laugh.

"It's scary, Sora," Tai said to her. "To think, Davis is going to help this tiny human grow?"

"Hey!" said Davis.

"I'm kidding!" Tai lowered his voice. "I'm going to be here to help this tiny human grow, too. I don't know if I'm ready."

Sora kissed Tai's cheek. One day, he'd be holding his own newborn—their own newborn. The time wasn't right for them just yet, but looking at him holding Kira, she looked comfortable, safe, and warm. He lightly touched his lips on her forehead, and Sora knew he was more ready than he gave himself credit for.

"You'll be fine," she said, resting her head on his shoulder to watch him oogle at his niece a little more.

* * *

It was in the middle of March when Bira-sensei worked out an agreement for Sora to work in Tokyo every other month, where she would be able to work from home as the main contact between fashion executives in Japan and Bira-sensei herself, and travel wherever she needed to. The agreement made it easier to buy a house with Tai, which had three bathrooms and three rooms, including the master, a guest room, and one where she made into her workspace.

When Tai picked her up at the airport in his brand-new sports car, Sora noticed the sun shining brightly, the snow melting on the ground but the air noticeably warmer.

"Hey, Tai," Sora said after he set her luggage in the trunk. "When the snow melts, what does it become?"

His eyes flashed as though he was familiar with the question, but he continued to lift his fingers to his lips.

"Hmm," he said. "Water."

"Really?"

"Yup."

Sora sighed. "I always have to tell you every time it happens, don't I?"

Then Tai wrapped his arms around her before she went on. "It's spring, right?" He gave her a kiss to wipe the scowl from her face.

"You remembered," she said. "I'm so happy I'm back here. I can't wait to go home."

Sora pulled away from him and took his hand to start walking, but he didn't move.

"Sora."

"Hmm?"

"You finally said it."

"Said what?"

"This whole time, you've called it my 'house'. My 'place'. Not 'ours'. Not even 'yours'."

She hadn't realized that before. How long she had been denying it, that anywhere with Tai was home to her.

She was glad to finally admit it now.

"Let's go home, Tai," she said. "Really."

There was something she couldn't read on his face as he stared at her. But before she asked, he gave her a grin, and they both got into his car for him to drive them home.

The moment they got home,  _their_ home, Tai let Sora open the door first for her to be greeted by the rest of the people she loved, all jumping up and shouting their surprise.

"Welcome home!" Mimi cried, running up as the first to hug her.

Not only were her friends there, but so were her parents, as well as Tai's.

"Tai invited us," her dad told her after his warm embrace. "I guess he really wants us to make sure he's giving you a nice place to live together."

"I think there's something more to this," her mom added.

Sora couldn't help but agree with her.

Mimi had the honor of cooking a feast for the gathering, meals and baked goods that had been selling well in the bakery that she had been running since the start of the year. With all of the friends and family there, whoever couldn't sit at the dining table ended up filling couch in the living room. Mimi refused to let Sora help her serve, but ultimately asked if she could find extra napkins.

Matt finally got the answer he wanted when Sora said she and Tai could show up at his next gig. Joe announced that Mika was pregnant, which meant a new baby friend for Kira, who Kari had been holding in her arms as everyone has a chance to play with. Even as she sat with her friends to catch up with their lives, Tai gave Sora a kiss on the cheek each time he passed her by.

Then, after Mimi convinced Sora to get out the bottle of wine to the living room, it happened. There, in the middle of the floor, Tai knelt down on one knee, holding a small box in front of him.

She should have known this was going to happen. She had her suspicions in past dinners when TK and Tai seemed oddly chummier than usual, and TK was now showing that same grin from before. Matt had been giving Tai odd stares throughout the party that afternoon, and Joe seemed more excited than usual. Kari laughed a lot with Kira in her arms, but Sora should have recognized that giggle.

Of course, Mimi and Izzy looked just as surprised, meaning that everyone was finally successful at keeping this surprise. And the friends and their parents had gathered, all eyes on Sora, but Sora's eyes falling on the box that revealed a sparkling diamond ring, slightly pink with a tinge of red, tastefully shaped like a heart.

Spring had arrived, and Summer was coming soon after, before Autumn would return with its withering cold again. The seasons will take their turn, bringing the warmth and the heat Sora savored along with the cold she despised. But no matter the change in the weather, she knew the man holding the ring that she knelt in front of was always going to be there, from the fall of the leaves until the moments they grew all over again.

He didn't need to ask her the question. She took both of his hands and leaned over to kiss his lips.

"Okay," she said, with a smile on her face and tears of joy rolling down her cheeks, and as he put the ring on her finger than grabbed her to kiss her back, she knew that she would have her warmth with her, now and forevermore.

.

**-owari-**

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe we're here. I set up the finale this way to write the ending I wanted, all hints abound. I've always wanted a happy ending ;) I hope you appreciate my Fruits Basket reference. Also, I recommend you visit Paris if you have the chance - it's a wonderful city.
> 
> Extra Notes from Tumblr: I wanted the title to fit Sora’s mood in the fall, and at first, I thought “Autumn Leaves” or “Leaves of Autumn” would have worked. But those titles had already been used in other fics. I settled with “Colors in Autumn”, and I didn’t discover until the last few chapters that it was a line from Taylor Swift’s famous song “Red” (and this is why my fic title brings up the singer’s related blogs :3 ). Crazily enough, the song kinda fits the fic, too. So, I’ll take that as a win.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed along, whether it was from the very beginning, or somehow along the way, and read this all the way to the end. I'd be extremely happy to know what you thought of this. Otherwise, I'm happy you read my longest fic yet. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
> 
> This may be the last chapter I'll get to say this, but I hope you take these two words with you, always and forever, no matter how cold it gets.
> 
> Stay warm (at heart) <3

**Author's Note:**

> Check out the fluffy one shots: **Colors Shots**  
>  Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17152664/chapters/40333400
> 
> Feel free to click around for my other fics & come hangout with me on Tumblr and Twitter @NoctIsFishing :)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [If Things Were Different (Digital Remix)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20172607) by [NoctIsFishing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoctIsFishing/pseuds/NoctIsFishing)




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